I'm Slipping Under
by hurricanerin
Summary: Loki kidnaps an innocent "liaison" with the intent of forcefully, but diplomatically, taking Stuttgart. When she finds herself doubling as a plaything to the new King, her priority becomes self preservation. As time passes and he grows more powerful, how much of what she feels for Loki is play, and how much is real? Smutty, smut, smut.
1. There's No Escape

Annalise was in the midst of a pleasant trek home from work when she was halted by a large man in green armor. When he silently smiled deviously at her, she took an uneasy step back.

"I am Loki, of Asgard," he announced with a regal air and wicked smile. She peaked around him in search of cameras and crew. This was a viable setup for a Punk'd episode.

The dark haired, self-appointed ruler silently surveyed the girl before him, hands clasped behind his back.

Annalise shifted her weight from foot to foot, unsettled by his eager expression. Normally the tiny liaison would've been batting her baby blues at such a delicious specimen of male, but there was _just_ a hint of lunacy in those heartbreakingly green irises. And then there were his weird henchmen with glowing blue eyes.

"She will do," he nodded to one of his cronies.

"Come, we have much to accomplish," Loki beckoned.

To oblige the beautiful crazy man? Or to continue on her way? Within ten seconds she had officially weighed her options, and she wasn't getting involved in this.

Nope. No way. She wanted to get home, slip off her shoes and curl up with a book for the night. She made to step around him, but his hand shot out and to grasp her elbow with surprising speed. He gave her a foreboding smile.

"Where are you going, my little liaison? We have important work to do."

Annalise closed her eyes, rubbed her temples and counted to ten. She liked her job. really, she did. But work stayed at work and she was off the clock.

"Sir, if you have any questions please direct them to my firm, you can call them first thing in the morning. I'll give you their num—."

"Are you not a liaison?"

"I-. Yes, I'm a liaison-."

"As your new ruler, I require your services in diplomacy. Bring her." Loki turned on his heel and marched on.

"Keep her with you. I'll not have her running off," Loki snapped over his shoulder at his bewitched, blue eyed SHIELD Agents.

Heart pounding, Annalise tried to nonchalantly spin in the other direction, only to find herself flanked with a man on either side of her, roughly lugging her by her arms to keep up with Loki.

"Ma'am, if I have to carry you, I will." The man's tone was monotonous, like that of a robot.

This had gone far enough. Frankly, it had gotten out of hand when Loki was five words deep, but now this goose was overwhelmingly cooked.

"No, I'm not what you're looking for! "Liaison" is a very broad term. I just communicate between the finance and public relations factions of-."

Loki ignored her. Completely. He used his long stride to distance himself enough from the girl to signal that their conversation was over.

Auburn hair whipped back and forth she looked desperately on either side of her for a patrolling cop, curious pedestrian or eager vigilante. She struck out.

As they tugged her down the street, she realized her captors appeared to be taking her to her own home. If they already knew where she lived, and no one was going to rescue an obvious damsel in distress, she had no other place to take refuge and came to the frightening conclusion that there may be no point in fighting.

She wasn't sure how much harm this guy could do. He sounded batty, and he was quite large. She was fairly positive he could do some damage if she tried to take him on. And, that's assuming she could shake off her buff escorts. There was also the matter of the daunting scepter that appeared to have legitimately hypnotized the super built, armed individuals with glowing blue eyes, so she felt compliance was the best course of action.

Best course of action or no, Annalise had a sinking feeling she would soon be the Sunday night feature on "48 Hours.". As she was escorted to her own front door, one of the men grunted at her to unlock the door. She glared and wrenched one of her arms free to dig for her keys. She opened the paneled door, awkwardly holding it open in reluctant invitation for the trio of strange. Loki shook his head.

"We will relocate," he informed her. "Gather your things, we will go straight to Stuttgart from here. Ah, and I will require your," he motioned at her phone, "device before you leave us."

 _Damn._

She went from irritated to exasperated, squeezing her eyes shut in irritation. Annalise made show of dropping it in his hand, an act mirroring that of a grounded teenager surrendering their own cellular device, and watched as he examined it curiously before giving it to one of his men. _He doesn't even know what the hell it is._

 _Fine. Whatever._

Things could be worse. He didn't seem interested in wearing her skin or chopping her into small pieces, and Stuttgart wasn't far. At least she wasn't being kidnapped for… very far.

She stomped through the doorway louder than was necessary, leaving the door open wide since apparently an impromptu tactics meeting was happening between her new king and his agents on her front stoop. Annalise grabbed a small duffle and began packing necessities.

While collecting things, she racked her brain for some sort of emergency escape strategy. Adrenaline was finally kicking in and it occurred to her to scan her small house for some sort of weapon. Glancing at the door to make sure she wasn't watched, Annalise padded to the kitchen and quietly opened a drawer, grabbing Swiss army knife, she slid it into her bag. It wasn't much. But it was all she had unless she wanted to bury a set of steak knives in her bag. She made sure it was well covered with her change of clothes and toiletries before zipping it and walking back to the main room.

The good news was that the trio of criminals was now down to one. The bad news was that she was now alone in her house with Loki. Her gut clenched. She should've slipped the knife in a pocket.

The silence surpassed uncomfortable. She had to say something.

"So, why didn't you just make my eyes blue like those agents? They're hypnotized, right? At least that's what it seemed like. Wouldn't this be simpler if I could zombie through everything?"

With his legs splayed wide, Loki coolly contemplated his newly acquired mortal from one of her kitchen chairs. She had bit of a temper which was vexing, but she was also pleasantly vivacious. A dark pang of hunger shot through his lower belly as he took her in: Though she was rather plain in her leggings and dress, there was a classic beauty about her. She had full, groomed brows and lush dark lashes that brushed against her cheek each time she squeezed her eyes shut in irritation, a mannerism he was beginning to find endearing. The arc of her cupid's bow was exaggerated and he found his eyes repeatedly drawn to her pink little mouth. She was also much shorter than himself, which he appreciated because she'd be that much easier to control.

He eyed her shapely legs and found he could easily picture them wrapped around him, even if her petite little thighs barely made it around his waist. Though her primary task was to aid him in developing a relationship with his subjects, he could see her being having use in a more carnal manner as well.

"Well, darling, I can't have a set of glowing eyes giving me away while you're in my company. It's vital that my presence goes unnoticed, especially by the Avengers, at least until I have what I need."

"Besides," he purred, fixing his eyes on hers with uncomfortable intensity, "yours are already a lovely shade of blue, if I'm not mistaken."

Oh, great. Of course we're also charming to boot.

She examined him, taking in his regal posture, mannerisms and devastatingly attractive face, trying to determine how much of what he was talking about was the plotting of a man who belonged in a locked and padded room. This was all too messy to process.

"Fine." She wasn't even sure what she was agreeing to. "Whatever you want form me we're doing don't-ask-don't-tell style. I don't want to know what kind of diabolical crazy you have planned. When you get us arrested, I am not going down as your accomplice," she announced.

Loki quirked a brow. People rarely spoke to him so bluntly. He thoughtfully opened his mouth to reply with what was most likely a poetically constructed sentence, but Annalise blurted her question first.

"What's an Avenger?"

He scowled.

"They are a bunch of feeble, bumbling, mewling miscreants with ridiculous garb and inconsequential powers," he growled.

Clearly, this was a touchy subject.

 _Oh, Lord_. _Powers?_ _Totally off his rocker_. Also, she was pretty sure his green armor would fall under the _ridiculous garb_ category, but Annalise kept her mouth shut and nodded slowly.

"They have powers?"

She was hesitant to ask the next question out loud. She wasn't sure she could handle the answer.

"Do _you_ have powers?"

When he grinned in confirmation, her face fell. It hadn't occurred to her that the situation could get worse.

For the first time, the grin that crept onto Loki's face was genuine. And completely devious.

"My dear, you have no idea," he crooned. "Fetch me a cup of water."

Annalise deserted her bag, grabbed a cup from the cabinet and held it beneath the in-door water dispenser. She slowly pressed the glass against the lever until it filled, trying to compose her next sentence in a way it would be received well.

"Look," she said over her shoulder, "It appears that you think me… inferior. But if you want me to help you, you're have to treat me as an equal. If you're a misogynist, cool, whatever, but I'm not dealing with it."

He narrowed his eyes at her, rising from his armchair and sauntering into her kitchen. He crossed his arms across his chest in a challenge, resting a hip on her kitchen table.

"…Or at least pretend to."

Loki seemed much more pleased with this option.

"Fair enough. Now, water," he ordered, reaching out his hand for the glass.

Annalise quickly pulled the cup back towards herself and glared. "Equals have manners," she chided.

"…Ah."

He eyed her for a moment. He supposed it was best to keep her placated and to play along. Besides, she was much lovelier when she wasn't scowling. He decided to appease her.

"Er, water… _please,_ little peach," he said with an entirely too seductive smile. Women always responded well to his charm, and his quasi-captive was no exception.

To her chagrin, Annalise's cheeks glowed pink at the endearment as she handed him the glass.

Which he proceeded to dump on her kitchen table.

"Hey!" She shrieked, making a dash for a hand towel.

A firm, cool hand gripped her wrist and tugged so that her back was to him, then pushed her forward, effectively pinning her between the kitchen table and his hard body. She squirmed, wildly uncomfortable with the intimacy of the position but that only seemed to encourage him more. She froze, holding her breath as he placed his mouth near her ear and spoke quietly, grinning triumphantly when she shivered.

"In all of the commotion during my arrival, I never asked your name, lovely, for which I deeply apologize. What do I call you?"

His cheek was cool against her burning one, and she could feel his soft hair brushing against her. It was entirely inappropriate that his hands were on her person. Really, she was going to make an effort to untangle herself from his muscular limbs. But, if she did, he'd likely see her blushing. And she couldn't have that, so maybe they could stay like this for a just a minute. Until her burning face calmed down.

"Annalise," she murmured, suddenly shy.

She stilled when she felt him press closer, caging her with strong arms on either side of her body, completely boxing her in.

All of a sudden, it was a little bit harder to breathe.

Loki nuzzled her cheek with his, making sure he had her attention, and slowly pressed his index finger to the puddle of water before them. The liquid immediately turned into a thin sheet of ice, on which he began tracing elegant letters with the tip of a long finger.

"An-nuh-lees," he sounded out as wrote.

"Like that?" He asked quietly, his breath puffing against her ear.

"Uh huh," she whispered.

Okay, that was impressive. Correct spelling.

And the whole ice thing, of course.

"You can freeze things?"

He grinned. Finally, the little mortal was impressed. As she should have been at the beginning, but he would forgive her ignorance in light of her beauty.

"Yes. I can manipulate ice."

He spun her around to face him, eager to watch her reactions as he continued. He certainly enjoyed impressing people.

She chewed her lip. If she inquired further, she was validating his godly "superiority," which was dangerous territory, and would set them back a step in terms of him seeing her as not-a-servant, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"Can you do anything else?"

Loki scoffed.

"Of course. I can create illusions, influence others, alter my appearance, among other things. And, of course, I'm quite skilled in combat."

Annalise stared blankly in shock. In all honesty, she was impressed.

"Maybe you're not as crazy as you seem," she mused.

He seemed to be speaking genuinely. Either that, or his sincerity was an indicator that he was far more insane than she'd originally given him credit for. He had yet to demonstrate his alleged other powers, but she couldn't deny the ice patch on her table.

He stepped back, allowing her personal space. Loki glanced at her, and though form fitting outfit was quite becoming, it would not do for the gala and an agent would soon be by to pick them up.

"Have you in your bag anything more… formal?"

She quirked a brow. He motioned at what she was wearing. She scowled.

"I'm being taken against my will," she quipped. "No, I didn't think to pack eveningwear."

"Very well. I'd rather have you dress in my colors anyway. Come, I believe our transportation has arrived," he said. Loki put forth great effort to open the door for her, rather than expecting her to open it for him. He smiled at his accomplishment.

 _His colors? Whatever_.

She didn't even want to know what that meant. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Annalise tried not to sulk as she followed him to the black sedan. She felt like leaving her home was admitting defeat, but she didn't know what else to do.

One of the blue-eyed men stepped out of the front seat and opened the back door for them. He tried to take her bag, but she refused to give it up, clinging to the idea that at some point she may be able to wrestle the concealed knife from the bottom and liberate herself from this circus.

As she settled into the backseat, she propped her bag against the window and leaned against it, sighing. By the time Loki was seated and the engine started, his little captive was fast asleep. Being a hostage/liaison was exhausting.


	2. A Guy Like You

Sitting in the back of the sedan, Loki was quite pleased with himself. Once Annalise had woken, he had operated a _phone_ to book a suite at the Althoff Hotel in Stuttgart using the skills she taught him, and then _called_ Barton to confirm the plans for securing iridium the following night. She may or may not have needed to intervene once or twice with the phone when he became frustrated at the nonexistent "buttons" he was supposed to "press" on a little glass screen, but in the end, he succeeded.

Little did he know, his phone lesson was far from complete. Once his calls were made, Annalise launched into _texting._ While she spoke excitedly, he took the opportunity to watch her. Admittedly he was tiring of her _equality_ campaign, but he couldn't deny that Annalise had a certain appeal as she spoke animatedly, pointing at the small phone screen, laughing as she showed him little yellow faces with different expressions.

Her rich brown hair was silky; she kept tucking it back behind her ear, but the second she leaned the slightest bit forward again, the rebellious strands tumbled back over her shoulders, obscuring her face. Loki leaned forward and slid his fingers into her locks, rumbling in appreciation as he slowly combed them through. Just as soft as it looked. His fingers ran through the ends, doubling back to rub the tips of her layers between his fingers. The length of her hair flowed just past the swell of her breast, and while entranced by the softness of her hair, his knuckle brushed against her nipple which, to her dismay, had hardened under his ministrations.

"Oh," she breathed in surprise, her rosy lips temporarily remaining in an "O" shape.

She was unused to being touched, let alone _caressed_. It was easy to forget how damn good it felt. Defensively crossing her arms across her chest, she furrowed her brow in confusion and pushed his hand away. A smirk slowly curled at the corner of his mouth but, more or less like a gentleman, he retracted his extremity.

She stared at him, and he stared right back. Despite her nap-refresh, she was still pretty overwhelmed. Everyone copes with stressors differently. Annalise was an ignorer. Loneliness, anxiety, pain, all of those unpleasant emotions were easily suppressed if she kept herself busy. Working, cleaning, reading, exercising, she filled her days to the brim. Having compartmentalized that aching feeling of solitude for so long, a dam had burst when pinned her against the table in her home and that loneliness had started an ache in her chest. And now, she was in a back-seat stare down with a man dead-set on dominating the earth.

She felt frazzled; both terrified and turned on. And, as she thought about it, the worst part wasn't that he had touched her. It was the way he was looking at her. She had been able to write it off until now. He almost looked predatory.

All of a sudden, the partition rolled down.

"Estimated time of arrival is three minutes, sir. The room is ready for you."

Saved by the freaking bell.

Anna quickly maneuvered her bag into the middle seat between herself and Loki while his attention was on the driver. When he looked back at her, his eyes flicked to the bag and he smirked. She swallowed hard. She had to get out of this car.

Now.

By the grace of God, the vehicle rolled to a stop. The second her door was opened wide enough to escape, she slipped through it, her chest heaving as if she were out of breath.

Space. She needed space. Alas, space she did not get.

Her newly found freedom evaporated as Loki firmly slipped an arm around her waist.

"Come, Annalise, let's get you settled in for the night."

She knew he felt her tense as his arm wrapped around her, and was surprised when he stroked her hip in what she assumed was supposed to be a calming manner. She made a conscious effort to relax and worked on her breathing, ignoring the shiver she couldn't hold back. He smiled, most definitely _not_ ignoring it.

Annalise walked with Loki and as a guard opened the door, she was met with the sight of a bright blue-eyed Erik Selvig tinkering away at a humming, glowing, blue instrument set up in the center of the main room.

She did her best to just roll with it.

The blue in Loki's scepter, his men's eyes and the machine was all the same, so it was safe to assume that this was all related. All the same brand of crazy.

Loki released her from his side with a look that ensured what had started in the car wasn't yet finished, and turned to the man and the machine. Annalise started when her elbow was grasped, yet again, and she was led deeper into the suite by yet another minion. She was placed in one of two bedrooms. Of the two, hers was closest to whatever science club fair was going on in the main room.

On his way out of the room, her escort stopped.

"You are allowed to close the bathroom door, but do not lock it. And do not close the bedroom door."

She couldn't help but gawk. What was she, a grounded fifteen year-old? Even they needed their privacy when their lives were taken over by domineering gods from other realms. The guard had left mid-gawk, and she took a moment to compose herself and bask in her mostly-solitude. She supposed a good god-employed liaison would speak with her ruler before taking refuge behind the door of the bathroom for the night, but she was content ranking as mediocre.

After a long, long shower, Annalise brushed her teeth and put on what she'd packed to sleep in. In her rush to both gather her things and concoct an escape plan, she hadn't bothered to take into consideration with whom she'd be sharing a suite. Unfortunately, this left her in a light satin chemise with a delicate lace applique along the hem. It reached just past the curve of her rear, which had never proved problematic until now. She like girly, lacy things. They felt so smooth and silky against her skin, and she'd be damned if she was going to spend her first night as a captive in starchy, heavy sleeping attire.

Bravely she exited the bathroom, glancing at the door for intruders while folding her old clothes and placing them back in the bag. She stood before the mirrored bureau and ran a brush through her wet hair before letting it fall loose and against her back and shoulders with a tired sigh.

Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, she was surprised to see it was only 10pm. She felt as if she'd been up all night. Annalise dug a worn copy of Little Women out from her bag and turned off the overhead light.

Not the most sophisticated literary selection, she admitted, but grabbed it out of habit. It was soothing, familiar. Flipping on the soft light mounted near the headboard, she pulled the covers back and slipped beneath them. She loved the feeling of crisp, clean sheets against bare legs. Sighing deeply, she opened the book and smiled for the first time since encountering Loki. It's the little comforts that matter during a kidnapping, you know?

Several hours later, Annalise awoke. She groaned when the bedside alarm clock informed her it was still far too early to get up. Well, in at least in a normal situation. The rules of sleeping seemed pretty lax in a kidnapping scenario. In her kidnapping scenario, it seemed like a really good time to try and get the hell out of there.

She peeled back the covers and literally tiptoed to the bureau, unzipping her bag tooth by tooth, praying she wouldn't be heard. Biting her lip, she decided to risk dull noises of belongings being shuffled around in order to dig her knife from the bottom of the bag. Once she found it, she flicked the army knife open and crept to the door, which had been left open a few inches. There was still light shining in from the hallway, but when she peered out, she saw no movement or shadows. Slowly she opened the door enough to slip through, her knife gripped tightly in her hand. The door to the second bedroom was open, but the lights were off. Was Loki sleeping? Didn't matter. She had other things to worry about.

Padding near the doorway, she held her breath as she slowly peaked into what she assumed was his room.

Empty. Untouched, bed made, empty. That meant he was camping out somewhere else.

She huffed. Time to reevaluate. Refusing to part with her knife, she searched for a place on her person to hide it. Settling for the elastic in the waistline of her panties, she carefully tucked it in and experimentally shimmied her hips. The knife fell to the floor with a thud.

 _Well then._ She repositioned the knife and pressed the palm of her hand flat against her hip to hold it secure over the thin fabric.

The way she saw it, she had successfully escaped her room and was now in the hallway, with a knife. She didn't necessarily count her state of dress as a success, but at least she wasn't completely naked? She was sufficiently covered to make an escape out into public, and that's what really mattered, she decided. The hardest part was over, assuming Loki wasn't in the main room. She trekked silently near the open area, her feet barely making a noise as they pressed into the carpet. She remembered seeing a kitchenette immediately to the right of the room door. If she was caught, she could use the excuse of needing a glass of water.

Her breath caught as the open space came into view. The scientist was no longer around and she saw no guards. There was, however, a sleeping god sprawled out upon on the couch, light from the TV flicking across his face intermittently. Annalise chewed her lip before pep talking herself into beginning the agonizing journey across the room to the door. She didn't breathe, and she froze after each individual step she took, watching the prince's face for any hints of consciousness.

The door was finally only ten feet away. She was practically there, and more importantly, she was almost past Loki.

While in mid-step, she shouted in surprise when his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. His eyes were open, clear. Not a hint of sleepiness. Was he awake the entire time?

"You did a very good job, darling. Quiet as a mouse."

Her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear him speak.

"I was just getting a glass of-."

She was interrupted as she felt the weight of the knife release from the elastic's weak hold and plummet to the ground.

Damn. Damn. Double damn.

As if she could conceal it without him seeing, she bent to pick it up, but he jerked her forward and onto his lap instead. He was sitting up straight now, hands firmly holding her hips as she straddled him.

Was she caught? Is this being caught? He didn't look angry.

Mouth completely dry, she glanced at him.

The fucker looked amused.

"How did you know?"

"Darling," he said, rubbing his thumbs back and forth against her bare skin, "You saw the water turn to ice, you know I'm powerful. You're not daft. I could hear you the second you woke up. Your breathing changed."

Hah. _Not daft._ Says the man that didn't try to escape in his underwear.

While busy admitting defeat, she didn't immediately register the soothing feeling of his hands stroking back and forth against the tender skin of her upper legs was skin on skin. In particular, his skin on her skin. Once she realized it, Annalise glanced down, trying to anticipate what would happen if she pushed his hands away, or grew bold enough to climb off his lap entirely. His eyes followed hers and he smiled. One hand slid from her thigh to her lower back, and he gently, but firmly, pulled her closer.

"You weren't getting water, especially not with that knife. You were going to run, and weren't going to hesistate to harm me. If you'd prefer, we can work out a punishment suitable for threatening your ruler, soon your king, with a deadly weapon. However, I can't promise you'll like it as much as you will a five-minute _time out_? I believe that's what they're called. There was a mother sentencing her unruly child to one in the lobby earlier tonight. His was in a corner. Yours will be in my lap," he crooned.

Her mouth was open, and she made several attempts at replying, but no sound came out. Loki's smile was small, but incredibly triumphant. He pulled her even further forward towards him until her pelvis was completely flush against his, and she felt him splay his long legs open behind her, forming an open V. As she glanced at his bare chest, it also occurred to her that he had shed his armor in favor of a pair of simple trousers, which meant that what she previously thought was a hard, firm piece of his protective gear was most definitely not. Subconsciously she tried to press her thighs together, looking to achieve some sort of modesty, which only better positioned her throbbing slit over his hardening cock.

And he wasn't even bashful. He gently gripped her wrists, moving each of her palms behind her, flat against his thighs. This not only caused her chest to jut out, but her stability was completely dependent on her ability to remain still. She was (relatively) helpless as she felt him run his hands up from her forearms to her biceps, pausing a moment to knead the poor mortal's clenched muscles, until they came to rest on her shoulders. He wrapped an arm around her torso, providing a little support and relieving some of the pressure on her arms as he leaned in and gently nipped, then licked, at her collarbone. Anna gasped for air, her breaths short and shallow.

"You're having a hard time catching your breath. Do I make you nervous, little one?"

Her first instinct was to squirm at having to answer a question in such close proximity, but she triumphantly quelled the instinct which would only have ground her against him more, and she was trying very hard to keep a level head.

When her brows rose in confusion at her own failure to provide a verbal answer, they made her round blue eyes look even more innocent and doe-eyed. She tried to resurrect the anger and annoyance she had felt towards him only hours before, to remind herself he was batshit crazy, but she was still sleepy and there was an incredibly attractive god using his mouth on her and all of this combined was causing her brain to short circuit. Somehow, she managed to shake her head in denial.

"No? Then I'm going to guess, based on how you've almost completely soaked your panties through, that you're just aroused."

The second he began uttering the word "soaked," she knew exactly what he was going to say. And her damn, traitorous cheeks bloomed completely pink. He experimentally gave a short, upwards thrust of his hips, making them both groan, though Annalise's was accented by a pathetic whimper. She closed her eyes and swallowed twice, desperately trying to string a sentence together.

"Or maybe both," she breathed, though she was fairly certain that when she began the sentence, her original intent was to tell him to fuck off.

Grinning, Loki dipped his tongue in the hollow of her collarbone before pressing an open mouth kiss directly between her breasts. The expression on his face was nothing but ravenous as his mouth continued down her front until his lips ghosted over the already hardened, sensitive flesh of her nipple, which he latched on to through the fabric. Somehow she managed to shift her weight, using her hands to push off of his thighs, surrendering to a closer, more vulnerable position against him as she so that she could properly bury a hand in his hair, clutching him to her chest.

The man hadn't even taken her damn clothes off. Or his off, for that matter. Annalise knew that even if her brain hadn't accepted her surrender to him, her body was undoubtedly already onboard. It all felt too good to fight.

On an especially hard suckle, her hips surged forward as she let her head fall back, grinding herself desperately against his erection. He growled against her and roughly pushed the straps of her chemise from her shoulders and pulled them material down so that it pooled around her waist, effectively freeing her breasts. She whimpered as he pulled his mouth from her, placated only when he replaced it with his warm, greedy palms on each globe.

At this point, Annalise was relatively certain she was full on dry humping the poor man, but honestly, who cared? She didn't.

What she cared about was his mouth on hers. To his surprise, she initiated the kiss, her lust overcoming any timidity she felt previously. Since words were lost to her, she bit down hard on his lower lip, attempting to convey that making out and foreplay were encouraged and appreciated, but there were more important manners, such as penetration, that required dealing with first. He chuckled (a sound that she catalogued away for tomorrow, since she was pretty sure he was not chuckling at her as _an equal_ ) and gently pushed her off him.

She was unable to find words as she stood before him, more or less debauched, and she watched him, whining in dissent until he roughly yanked her panties down to her knees. She stepped out of and kicked them from around her ankles and eagerly climbed back upon his lap. He had to hold her in place, keeping her off of him long enough for him to free his aching cock from the confines of his trousers.

In truth, Anna had never ridden a man before. The two lovers she'd had previously never inspired such… mindless instinct as she was feeling now. But Loki most certainly did. And the fact that she'd never done this before didn't faze her one bit.

Any sense of pride or decency evaporated the second she felt him line himself against the slick lips of her pussy. When he hesitated, she forced herself to open her eyes. She searched his, desperately trying to determine why, _exactly_ , he wasn't buried inside her.

"Beg your king," he murmured to her, the tip of his cock nestled against her entrance the fingers of his other hand digging into the flesh of her hips.

Her brain was foggy; it took her a minute to comprehend his words. She made a noise that was half moan, half whine, thrusting her hips in search of any kind of relief.

"Please, my king," she pleaded, "I need to feel you," her whimpers were growing higher in pitch at her need grew. "Please, sire," she begged, blinking back tears.

 _Mmm._ _His first subject._

The look in her eyes was of pure submission; she worshipped him with her pleading words and he cupped her cheek tenderly, pressing his lips to hers in an almost chaste kiss while he simultaneously pulling her hips down as he thrust up.

She cried out; she hadn't been with a man for several years and Loki was far from small. The god grit his teeth, and, _like a freaking equal,_ he gave her a moment to adjust to his girth. (Major points for demonstrating his understanding and acceptance of equality during the act of sex. Tomorrow he'd get an earful about the begging, but he overall he considered this a triumph. He'd have to remind her to commend him.)

As Annalise panted against his shoulder, he felt the puff of breath against his chest before he heard the words she spoke against his skin.

" _Please."_

Grunting in satisfaction, Loki grasped the flesh of her hips in each hand and rocked her, settling her into a rhythm. Soon, Anna's hips moved of their own volition, thrusting and scooping and grinding against him, playing with angles and depths. Though she had known she was close, her first orgasm hit unexpectedly. Heat that had been gradually coiling in her belly tightened and exploded, causing her to cry out. Her back arched as her hips pumped, rutting like animal as Loki watched her in all of her glory. Biting his cheek to keep from coming, he thrust roughly up against her, fucking her straight through her climax.

As she was still recovering, Loki, while still inside her, held her to him and moved them to the floor. He lay her back and pressed one of her knees to her chest, opening her even deeper for him.

As much as he had loved fucking her at eye level, watching her writhe beneath him was even better. His first thrust was for the sake of depth. Hips slammed against hips as he sheathed himself fully inside her. He leaned over her, panting, watching her gaze dreamily back up at him; complete post-orgasmic bless.

Her calm, sleepy expression vanished as he began to rise up against her, using the muscles of his toned abdomen to ensure that each thrust drove as deep within her as possible. A shift in his weight had her suddenly crying out again, gasping and chanting "my king" against his neck as he made her climax again. This time, Loki let loose. His hips jackhammered unevenly into her, as he no longer cared for rhythm, or really anything, aside from claiming her as his. With a shout he came, pulsing inside of her as the aftershocks of her orgasm coaxed every drop of cum form his cock. He remained inside of her as they both caught their breath, but his arms threatened to give out and it wouldn't do to have his liaison crushed before he took Stuttgart.

Surprising even himself, picked her up and carried her to her room. Sleepily, she reached for him as he set her down, and he allowed her to position herself against him until she settled, before gently disentangling from her and stepping out. He made his way to the other bedroom and entered the master bath, where leaned into the shower and cranked the cold water on, not even bothering the touch the "H" dial. Stepping under the freezing spray, he sighed as his head cleared. Pleasurable as she was, she was an insignificant part of what was soon going to be his legacy. If he truly wanted to rule, he needed to be absolutely certain of his priorities. And they most certainly did not include fucking the help.


	3. Too High

The sun shone through the partially open drapes as Annalise stretched awake, wincing as sore muscles reminded her of the night's activities. She rubbed her eyes as memories from the previous night slowly returned to her. She recalled him catching her trying to escape, them on the couch and then the floor… and then him carrying her to bed. Turning to her other side, she wasn't surprised to find herself alone, although she admitted she was a little disappointed that Loki hadn't stayed.

She had no idea what to expect from him. He was erratic before they had sex. Hopefully she hadn't made things worse. Swinging her legs to the edge of the bed Annalise stood with a sigh and ran a hand through her long hair, using her fingers as an impromptu comb. Someone cleared their throat, causing the poor girl yelp and dive for a sheet in an attempt to cover her partially clad self.

Despite his mostly emotionless blue eyes, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent had the decency to face away, and she could've sworn his cheeks were tinged pink. His reclined position in the chair indicated he had been in her room for at least several hours. Based on his discomfort, she assumed he was here by order of Loki, most likely to prevent her from escaping.

Escaping. Her knife. Uselessly she searched the bedclothes, feeling around for the weapon that she knew was long gone. Loki had had every reason _not_ to return it to her. Oh, well. She had tried. Failed miserably and ended up fucking the enemy instead of assaulting him, but still, A for effort.

She returned her attention to the poor gentleman staring intently at the bare wall, clearly uncomfortable with her state of dress. Well, that made two of them. Time for real clothes.

"I'm going to shower and get dressed, which I can do without an escort. Where's Loki?"

"The king is busy finalizing plans for tonight," replied one of the guards, "

 _The king._ She baulked. She'd called Loki her king last night. She was pretty sure he had more or less manipulated her into doing so on account of she vaguely remembered him withholding penetration until she humored him. And during sex, that's practically blackmail. Or coercion, or something. Either way, dick move, dude.

He hadn't been serious, had he? She had written it off as some holier-than-thou kink. Apparently he had been. Back to equalitarianism ground zero. Her thoughts were interrupted as another agent knocked against the doorframe, using the sound to announce his arrival rather than asking permission to enter. He had a garment bag was draped over one arm and in his other hand he grasped the handles of several department store bags.

"He said you're to eat and be dressed by the time he returns in a few hours," he said. "Room service is on its way."

 _As far as being held in captivity, life could be worse_ she mused.

"Thank you, I can take it from here," she said, shooing them off with a wave of her hand. Fighting the urge to tear into the bags, she forced herself to first shower and dry her hair. She donned one of the hotel's white terrycloth robes and followed the smell of food to the main room. The cart held enough food for ten people, they must have ordered one of everything. She grabbed a sandwich and some fruit before retreating to her room.

Nibbling at her food, Anna started going through the bags. After she had opened the shoe box and peeled tissue paper from a pair of modestly high nude pumps she also unwrapped a pair of diamond earrings the size of peas, removed more tissue paper to reveal a simple gold clutch, and found two bags stuffed with hair products, tools and cosmetics. Having saved the best for last, she carefully removed the garment bag from the dress.

It really was exquisite; a dark emerald gown with an empire waste, short train, and deep halter neckline made with a silk georgette fabric studded with tiny beads and sequins. Fighting the urge to squeal, she carefully hung the dress on a hanger and bolted to the bathroom with her new army of beauty products.

After curling it, she doused most of her hair with hairspray and teased it to create volume. Figuring she couldn't go wrong with classic, she wrapped and spun the length of her hair into an elegant French twist, leaving a few loose tendrils around her face. She attacked her hair with a militia of bobby pins, satisfied only when she could successfully shake her head without the style falling free. She messed around with some of eyeshadows, liner, and mascarand finishing her eye makeup by using the tip of a brush to smudge a dark color along her lower lashline before deftly diffusing until it was soft and smokey. After dabbling with some blush and concealer, she grabbed the only tube of lipstick provided. Pulling the cap off, she grumbled when a rich red shade was revealed. She applied a small amount around the perimeter of her lips before taking some product on the end of her finger. Gently working it over her lips, she smiled at the much softer, stain-like effect the application gave, opposed to the bold look of applying it straight from the bullet. There was a similar shade of red polish that she quickly swiped onto her nails, blowing on them impatiently as they dried. _Finally, finished._ Annalise went to double check her appearance made a face at her reflection in the mirror. More or less satisfactory.

Grabbing the dress from its hanger, she cautiously stepped into it. The dress zipped at the side for which she was grateful because she required no help from the agents. She had no interest in getting to know the guards that intimately, especially as she realized the material around her breasts appeared to be completely transparent. Lines of closely sewn sequins covering her nipples were the extent of the modesty provided by the dress.

Slipping on her shoes and grabbing the clutch, she teetered a bit on the carpet. Heels were not her favorite. She took a few minutes to tentatively walk around the bedroom perimeter until she was confident enough that she wouldn't look like a newborn foal stumbling about.

As she entered the main room, her stomach fluttered as she saw that Loki had returned. _Please, let this not be awkward._ His brows rose in appreciation and he stood, moving to circle around her. She fidgeted, following him with her eyes until he came full circle and planted himself in front of her.

"I knew I selected well," he stated quietly, tracing a finger along the plunging neckline of her gown.

 _And yep, we're back to making everything about him again._

"I'm going to pretend you're not completely objectifying me and choose to interpret your comment as a complement," she clipped.

Completely, 100% ignoring her, he smiled.

"You look good in green."

Eager to move the attention off of herself, she took a moment to examine him. _Damn._ Careful not to gawk _because Lord knows the man didn't need any additional ego stroking,_ she had to admit he looked fucking good in a tux. Loki was temporarily distracted conversing with the guards, so he didn't see her objectify him right back.

When he returned his attention to her, his eyes didn't immediately meet hers. They detoured to her nearly completely exposed chest, which she promptly covered with crossed arms. This, to her irritation, caused him to chuckle.

"Darling, it's not as if I haven't seen you already. Though I have to admit, having to look at you half makes all night is going to be distracting."

 _Asshole._ All of this extended eye contact was making her very uncomfortable.

"Can we leave?"

He exchanged a few more words with the agents before offering Annalise his arm. She took it shyly, irritated when herheart sped up from being so close. She better get comfortable being near him or it was going to be a long night.

They were picked up by the same driver as before. The car ride was devoid of verbal conversation, though her thoughts flew at her with an annoying rapidity; wondering if he was going to acknowledge their coupling the night before, whether it was going to repeat tonight, or whether he was going to ignore it completely. She was also very uneasy about what was to come at the gala. At her house he had mentioned something about the Avengers, but her memories were foggy, presumably from the stress at the time.

"Are you going to tell me what you're doing tonight?"

He looked at her, appearing surprised that she was even interested.

"No."

 _Oh. Well. Okay. Keep being an asshole, see how cooperative that makes me._

"It will be easier for me to.. do my job if I at least an idea of what's to come," she pointed out, banking on the whole liaison bit.

"I suppose you're right. As you know, we're attending a gala. You're to socialize appropriately, but make sure we don't draw attention. I'll be looking for a specific gentleman. Once I've procured what I need, I'll address my audience. You'll introduce me as their newly appointed king,"

 _Great._ It was one thing if he made himself look like an idiot, but did he really need to drag her down too? Apparently.

The car slowed to a stop before a huge, beautiful stone building with an open rotunda already teaming with people. Annalise had to admit she was a little awestruck. She had been to events before, but nothing on this scale. Loki helped her from the car and took her arm in his and with his opposite hand he gripped the scepter topped with the ominous blue spear and used it as a walking cane. _Lovely._

"Come, my dear," he said it as if it were a proposal, but the firm grip he had on her suggested otherwise.

Annalise was tall, but Loki was gargantuan and his legs were longer than hers. As he strode towards the crowd, she yanked on his arm and complained at him to slow down. He glanced down at her, smirking with amusement. Had she been able to do so without toppling over, she would've kicked him. _Maybe not the most mature reaction, but effective. And it would've been really satisfying._

The couple made small talk with other guests as Loki slowly moved them inside. Loki wasn't as awkward as she would've thought, but it definitely helped that she was there to put on the charm. Cordial conversation was a specialty of hers. As she spoke with people, he was impressed at how at ease she was, genuinely smiling and appearing to enjoy herself. Her chest bounced slightly as she laughed along with the men and women she was speaking to. His eyes were drawn to her red lips and he was reminded of how delicious she had tasted. Loki tried to ignore the wisp of hair fell loose along her temple, but when she reached up to smooth into place, his hand got to it first, tucking it behind her ear. He couldn't help himself as he traced the back of his finger down the side of her long neck, smiling proudly as he spotted several marks he'd left. For the most part, they were covered with makeup. He was likely the only one to notice and that was simply because he was responsible for them. She looked to him in confusion. No longer caring as he stared, he could feel himself growing hard. No, not necessarily the time or place for such a reaction, but he was to be a king. And kings get what they want when they want it, including openly ogling their dates. Had he said this aloud, Anna would've remarked that toddlers function under the same modus operandi, but the thought remained just that.

Somewhat abruptly he pulled her away from her conversation and began retreating the way they came. Confused, Annalise sputtered and demanded an explanation which, of course, Loki ignored completely. He peered around the side of a building before dragging her to a more private alcove.

"What the hell!"

He narrowed his eyes at her. She had no right to be indignant. He should be indignant. He was trying to conduct a worldwide takeover and she kept interfering with his focus.

Earlier that day Loki had confiscated a pack of odd, white sticks and some sort of small fire machine from one of his agents. The agent had explained that the sticks helped with stress. Brows furrowed in concentration, Loki mimicked how the man had placed one of the sticks in his mouth and used the fire contraption to light the end. He inhaled deeply and coughed, pulling the stick from his mouth in annoyance and glaring at it. After a few more attempts, Loki had more or less figured out how to smoke the cigarette without looking like an idiot.

Annalise watched, dumbfounded.

"We came outside for this? I was doing exactly what you told me! We were inconspicuous until you all but dragged me away from the guests!"

Though quite gifted in the art of witty responses, the silver tongued god remained quiet. He thoroughly enjoyed watching Annalise work herself up. The passion with which she spoke and the way her cheeks pinked made her look adorable. And distracting. And completely fuckable.

He knew there was only one way he'd be able to keep a clear head tonight.

His train of thought was interrupted when she plucked the cigarette from his mouth, taking long drag before letting it fall to the ground. She lifted the hem of her dress, careful to keep it from the touching the offensive little stick, and proceeded to use the toe of her ridiculously expensive shoe to grind the stub into a mess of ashes and tobacco flakes.

"That's a disgusting habit," he murmured, unable to keep the corner of his mouth from twitching upwards at the irony. He was immortal. Smoking phased him not, but he couldn't resist baiting her.

"You must forgive me," she grumped, exhaling the smoke away from them, "I've been under an elevated amount of stress as of late." She was pissed. He loved it.

Distracted with how irritated she was with him; Annalise didn't notice Loki's proximity until it was too late. He roughly pressed her against the brick wall, messing with her balance and forcing her to grip his shoulders.

"I forgive you for stealing my paper stick," he said with complete sincerity. "But I do not forgive you for how fucking distracting you are," he growled.

Anna's eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock. She was most definitely not expecting that. Taking complete advantage, Loki sealed his mouth over hers and promptly shoved his tongue between her parted lips. She decided that defense was the best offence and she tried and push his tongue of her mouth. Using her own, of course. Admittedly, she wasn't surprised when her strategy backfired, and when he groaned in pleasure and ground against her, she whimpered in response. She tried reminding herself that this was wrong and that she was a captive, blah blah blah, but her brain grew foggy and she couldn't recall why any of that mattered.

"Tell me," he said, pulling away from her lips to growl in her ear. "Are you equally distracted?"

Realizing she had the opportunity to at least attempt to speak again, she managed to form a breathy "no" in response to his question.

"Liar," he hissed, biting the lobe of her ear.

She yelped quietly and he quickly kicked her legs apart, then took both of her wrists in one hand and used the other to ruck her skirt up around her thighs. He stared at her with an unsettling intensity as he slipped his hand beneath the fabric. Once he found what he sought, he stroked her, his fingers gliding against her hot little slit as he watched her cheeks and chest flush. His fingers slid easily between her lips from how wet she was, and he grinned in triumph. She was mortified by her physical response to him. Caught-trying-to-escape-sex was one thing, but this was a serious out-in-public power play!

"Good. You feel it too," he crooned in his ear, his voice misleadingly gentle as he roughly thrust his two fingers inside of her. Anna gasped at the sudden invasion and stared at him in disbelief.

Confident that he could overpower her again if need be, he released her wrists and jerked her chin up so that her eyes met his.

"Look at me," he hissed, watching her face as he began to experimentally thrust his fingers into her, causing her to shudder as he found a rhythm.

Once her eyes locked with his, she couldn't force herself to look away. To her dismay, she realized she could hear herself whimpering and sighing, but she couldn't shut herself up.

When he crooked his fingers and increased his pace, her hips bucked against his hand and she knew she was done for in record time. _Had she really been that aroused all night?_ She gripped his jacket and buried her face against his neck as she completely lost control, the coil low in her belly erupting into spasms of pleasure that rhythmically squeezed around his fingers as he fucked her through the orgasm.

Distracted by watching him lick his fingers clean, she wasn't paying attention to the fact that he had unzipped his pants and pulled himself out. He watched her as he stroked his throbbing cock. She was still recovering from her climax and appeared deliciously ignorant to his next intentions. He grabbed one of her thighs and pulled it up around his hip, holding her in place as he lined himself up against her dripping cunt. He entered her in one thrust, grunting in pleasure as he sunk into her tight heat. She cried out in surprise and and made a very pathetic attempt to push him away from her. It was one thing to fingerfuck her in public, but full on sex was a whole different story. However, once he pulled back and then slammed himself in to the hilt several times any willpower she had held on to vanished.

Unable to keep quiet, she covered her mouth with one hand and gripped his jacket in the other so that she didn't completely lose her balance as he fucked her up against the wall.

Hand still very much clamped tightly over her mouth, she watched his face as he pumped in and out. The expression he wore was unsettling. He looked triumphant, victorious. He looked at her as if he had won, though she wasn't sure what exactly he was winning. Whatever it was, she as pretty sure she was captain of the losing team.

He batted her hand away from her mouth in irritation and replaced it with hard, possessive kisses. As her keening grew higher in pitch, he knew she was close and he slipped a hand between her legs and firmly circled her sensitive, throbbing clit, making her see white. Her hips thrust against him, completely beyond her control as her body eagerly chased a second orgasm. She came with a muffled scream against his lips. With an obnoxiously pleased smile, he again put his lips to her ear.

"When I acquired you, I have to admit I planned to cast you aside once my throne was secured. But, I think I'll keep you," he mused.

He laughed as halfheartedly swatted at him, still weak after her second orgasm.

"As a reminder of my first conquest on Midgard," he whispered, accenting each sentence with a sharp thrust, grunting as he lost control and let his hips hammer into her until she felt him swell and explode, coating the walls of her pussy with his thick cum.

He held her against the wall as they both caught their breaths, her sweaty forehead resting against his shoulder. He cupped his hand to the nape of her neck and used his thumb to lift her chin. When he put his lips on hers again, she bit him angrily, only to have him bite her right back. He pulled away with a laugh, wiping at his lip to check for blood.

"Yes, I'll most definitely keep you, little mortal."

Though she hadn't managed to break skin, she smirked as she saw her first victory of the night: The jerk had her red lipstick smeared all over his mouth.


	4. Can't Come Down

Annalise and Loki did their best to casually reintegrate into the guest pool. Once back in the museum, they parted ways and went to their respective restrooms.

Though external physical evidence of her alleyway tryst with Loki was minimal,

Annalise still felt as though she was executing a major walk of shame as she entered the

women's room. The sound of her heels on the tile floor seemed deafening as she made her way

between the other women busy powdering their noses.

She cleaned herself up to the best of her ability. It was crude, but wetting paper towels she sought refuge in one of the stalls to rid her thighs of the drying culmination of mutual orgasm. She then made sure to wipe off the lipstick Loki had smeared on her neck and mouth. After washing her hands, Annalise smoothed her hair and adjusted her dress before joining in the mass exodus of women filing back out into the museum.

Annalise smiled politely at the other women as they made their way towards the stairs. She started when screams echoed throughout the vaulted ceilings. The group of women leaving the restroom merged with the stampeding guests, running frantically for the exit of the museum.

Her gut twisted. She had a bad feeling they were running from Loki. Up until now, the worst behavior she'd witnessed from him was his seeming inability to hear her protests while balls deep inside her. Cautiously descending the staircase, her eyes widened in horror as she caught sight of Loki looming over another man, positioning an awful looking machine on its tripod over the man's eye. All in the vicinity screamed in revulsion Loki forcibly removed the man's iris for the scan.

She had to look away, her hand flying to her mouth to stifle her own dismay.

 _This was not the man she knew. The man she knew was rather sex starved and had an ego more inflated than a blimp, but never had she seen him this violent._

Trembling, she gripped the railing, stumbling down the stairs until she reached Loki's side just as his suit transitioned seamlessly into gold and green armor.

"Loki," she whispered.

Had he been human, her quiet whimper would've gone unheard. Asgardian hearing seemed to be superior to that of homo sapiens, and Loki's eyes shot to Annalise. The knuckles of the hand the gripped the bannister were white, and all of a sudden she felt as though her lungs were no longer able to take in sufficient air.

 _This was a really inconvenient time for a panic attack._

Luckily for Anna, Loki acted too quickly for her body to go into full hyperventilation mode.

Roughly he grabbed her arm and tugged her along with him.

" _Never_ will you use my given name in the presence of anyone else," he hissed, not bothering to stop for eye contact to reinforce the severity of her infraction. There was no need.

Annalise was positive her upper arm already had bruises from how hard his fingertips were digging into the tissue.

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry _what_?"

She licked her lip. She knew what he wanted to hear.

"My King," she spoke softly.

Though they never fell, tears gathered in her eyes. Between the pain of his grasp and the insanity of what was becoming a reality before her eyes, she didn't even notice. However, they did not go unnoticed by Loki.

As they neared the open entrance of the museum, he whipped her to the side, using her bodyweight as momentum as he wielded her by her arm. He faced her head on, horned helmet and all, and backed her against the wall for the second time that night.

His expression softened _just_ the tiniest bit.

"You have nothing to fear, little peach. You'll not be harmed. I have use for you. Once we get outside, you will give me a grand introduction and then retire to my bed for the night. There's no need for you to witness what follows."

Did he mean more violence?

"Not all subjects submit as beautifully as you," he crooned, pressing his lips against the corner of her mouth in a deceivingly affectionate manner. She knew he could easily snap her in half.

"Now, come."

As they crossed the street, nearing the gaggle of guests corralled by Loki's duplicates, the blare of a siren sounded. The vehicle hurtled towards the pair and Loki lashed out, shooting a bolt of blue energy smashing into the ambulance, sending it flying back the way it came and landing with an explosion.

Pressure on her lower back urged her forward, even as Loki slowed behind her. Anna approached the terrified crowd and cleared her throat.

"Ladies and gentleman, be calm, please," she spoke clearly. "May I present to you Earth's new king. Please, do as he says and no one will be hurt." There was a hint of desperation to her voice. Loki hadn't given her a script to work from, nor had be promised compliancy would prevent injury… She was hoping he recognized her plea.

Loki bowed his head at Annalise in questionably authentic appreciation, doing his best to demonstrate before his subjects that he rewarded obedience. The god walked in front of her, his hand pressing against her hip to herd her back behind him as he addressed his public.

"Kneel before me. I said kneel!"

Everyone, including Annalise jumped at the volume and ferocity with which Loki bellowed. He was obeyed out of fear.

"Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state?"

He raised his hands in triumph and continued, walking amongst his kneeling subjects.

"It's the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power. For identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel."

Annalise gasped in horror as an older man stood and addressed Loki.

"Not to men like you."

Trying to get the gentleman's attention, Anna fervently shook her head from behind Loki, desperately trying to discourage him from rebelling. The newly crowned king simply grinned at his first opportunity to rectify resistance.

"There are no men like me."

"There are always men like you," the human sighed sadly.

"Look to your elder, people. Let him be an example."

Loki lowered his staff and pointed it at the perpetrator, a humming ball of blue energy forming near the bladed tip. He fired, though the bolt never reached its intended target. A man in a spandex dropped to the ground, using his shield to bounce the bolt back at the god.

She heard the Captain mutter something righteous at Loki, and then the two erupted in flashes of spangled red, white and blue and regal gold and green. Cap flung his shield at Loki, catching it as it ricocheted off his opponent's armor. The men grappled, lunging and swinging at each other with their respective weapons. Loki fought using his scepter as a sword and battering ram while the Captain bludgeoned and blocked with his shield.

Annalise took several steps back, trying to anticipate which direction the fight was moving. Loki was clearly stronger than the other man, but when a hovering SHIELD aircraft started bellowing orders at the god, she became even more unnerved. Everything was happening so quickly, it was surreal.

A flutter of panic ran through her. There was a good chance she'd go down if Loki did. She had been in his possession long enough to have graced SHIELD's Most Wanted list. Definitely not as a priority, but she doubted they would simply let her go free.

As Iron Man emerged from the sky, she yelled out to Loki, who was hovering over Captain America, ready to strike with a fatal blow. A Super Soldier and a mechanical man were an unfair match against Loki. She had to get them out of there.

"We have to go!"

Loki's concentration broke at the sound of her familiar voice, and the Winter Soldier got one last strike in, knocking the god onto his back. Mr. Stark was lowering himself to the ground using the rockets of his suit, the eyes of his mask locked onto the god. Annalise kicked off her troublesome heels and ran to him, tugging on Loki's armored arm as if she had the strength to haul him to his feet.

The roar of an aircraft piloted by a glowing, blue eyed Agent Barton distracted both all four. When the agent lowered the machine just enough so that the ramp touched the ground, he motioned for them to board. The god snatched up Annalise slung her over his shoulder with one arm and used the other aim his staff, sending off several last blasts of blue energy at the Avengers.

x

When Annalise next saw him, Loki was yelling into a satellite phone in one of the airplane's suites. Someone was getting an earful for their lack of discretion with Stuttgart. Loki had changed from his armor back into his suit and was seated on the red velvet cushion of an intricately carved armchair painted with gold. As usual, his long legs were casually splayed wide open, his dressy leather shoes planted a shoulders width apart.

Tonight had not gone well. It wasn't an entire failure since the iridium had been procured, but he was unhappy and she could _feel_ his ire from across the plane. He was livid that the Avengers had attacked, and the room was so charged with his rage that the air practically crackled around him.

Even the hypnotized SHIELD agents were concerned he'd somehow unintentionally interfere with the flight, be it through displaced magic or the slaughter of his men.

She had a feeling she was the only one on the aircraft with the ability to soothe him… but she only had one strategy. She had to hope it worked.

Nervously she bit her lip, shifting her weight back and forth between her bare feet. She took a breath and held it as she moved forward to her King, faking a confidence she most definitely didn't feel. Loki glanced up as she walked towards him and a dark brow arched in questioning irritation.

Her steps were even and measured as she padded to him, the train of her deep green gown dragging behind her. In the scuffle the delicate fabric of her dress had been torn and many of the strings of beading ripped and ruined. Her hair had fallen loose around her shoulders and now framed her face in soft waves. Cautiously she ventured between his legs and sank to her knees. She didn't dare look up at him, knowing she'd lose her resolve whether or not he was staring at her. Instead, she knelt and slowly lay her head to rest on his thigh in a show of submission. Loki stared at her indignantly and continued his phone conversation.

 _Clearly she wasn't trying hard enough._

When he felt her palm him through his trousers, he angrily covered the mouthpiece of the phone and hissed at her.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Annalise stayed silent, and this time leaned forward to nuzzle her nose against the bulging outline she'd encouraged awake. Settled on the floor, she finally found the fortitude to look him in the eye. When he stared right back at her, her stomach twisted with excitement and her body pulsed with need.

 _Well, this was it._

Slender fingers deftly unbuckled his belt and pulled at his button and zipper, allowing his cock to spring out.

 _Of course he's not wearing anything under his suit._

Tentatively she leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss to the deliciously ridged head. When she wrapped her small hand around his cock she could feel him throb and jerk. The silver tongued god's portion of the telephone call was slowly, but steadily, dwindling down to grunts and sighs. His livid insults no longer echoed throughout the aircraft.

Part of him wanted to bat her insolent hands away, the other part of him wanted to grab her hair and thrust himself so far into her throat she couldn't breathe. When she took the head of his cock into her hot, sweet mouth, he growled.

"What are you doing?"

She pulled him from her mouth but never fully removed her lips. Annalise stroked him and tenderly placed open mouthed kisses along his length.

"Worshipping my King," she murmured against his velvety skin.

When his cock immediately swelled and throbbed in her hand, she couldn't hold back a small but triumphant smile.

 _There we go._

Switching from kisses to licks, Annalise began running her tongue along his length, paying close attention to the ridge on the underside of his thick cock.

Loki groaned and proceeded to abruptly end his call, cutting off the sniveling voice Annalise could hear on the other end. The phone clattered to the floor but neither paid it any mind, mostly on account of Loki was busy fisting both hands in Annalise's hair.

She was truly surprised that he didn't immediately force himself down her throat. Not that she would have fought him. That would not have been wise considering the fury that still radiated from him.

Instead, he stroked her like a pet, running his fingers through her curls.

Then, to her dismay, Loki pushed her off of him. He tugged her forward by her hair and studied her. Her chest tightened with how ardently he was looking at her, even though she knew intellectually he was just using her body as a means to an end. It didn't mean anything. She wanted to hide, she felt much too exposed despite the long dress that covered most of her body.

Appearing deep in thought, he experimentally thumbed at her lip, smearing a bit of saliva along the width of it. Without thinking, she leaned forward and took his digit in her mouth, sucking firmly. Loki grunted low in his throat, savoring the feel of her warmth before reluctantly pulling his hand away. He needed more than just his finger sucked.

In typical male fashion, he gathered her long hair in one hand and leaned back against the chair.

"Look at me," he rumbled.

It took a yank in order for her to comply, but when she did, simple eye contact with him was all it took for her body to start throbbing. She pressed her thighs together and squirmed, causing him to smirk infuriatingly.

Looking him in the eye was too intense, it made her chest tighten. She'd given head before, but never had it been like this. This time the exchange of power was turning _her_ on. Annalise dropped her eyes and tried to pull herself from his grasp, but his grip on her hair held strong. With a whimper, she conceded, raising her eyes to his again.

Loki gripped his cock in his free hand and stroked firmly several times before pulling her forward and feeding her the tip. She took it obediently, this time without hesitation, her tongue lapping delicately at the leaking precome, savoring the salty taste.

Head dropping back, Loki blindly pulled her to him, forcing more of his length between her lips. Annalise relaxed her jaw accordingly and took what he gave her.

Loki's hips stuttered up off the chair, making his cock knock against the back of her throat. Though she quelled the urge to gag, she coughed over him, trying to pull away. With a roll of his eyes he allowed it, giving her a moment to right herself.

"Now are you going to be a good girl and take all of me?" Loki's eyes flashed with anger.

Annalise swallowed hard, her very traitorous mouth watering at the thought of accepting him between her lips once more. Regardless of whether or not he belonged in an asylum, or that the Avengers treated him like a villain, or that he had kidnapped her, Loki was undeniably _powerful,_ and it gave her a certain sense of command to have him moaning from her amateur ministrations.

Now that he was hard and throbbing and was positioned in a way that she could truly appreciate him, and she had to admit he had an impressive cock, proud and throbbing red. Until now, he'd never given her a chance to see it up close. Clearly it had an effect on the functionality of her brain because when she tried to speak, the noise came out as a pitiful, unintelligible whine, so she just nodded her head in confirmation.

With a pleased smirk, Loki guided her lips over himself, growling at her to look at him once more. She obliged, her eyes watering as he hit the back of her throat and kept applying pressure. She pushed down the urge to gag and instead swallowed around him, humming contentedly as he released a strangled moan. He languorously fucked her face for a few minutes before releasing her hair with a rough push.

"Make me come," he challenged her.

This time Annalise flushed with red.

What if she couldn't? What if she wasn't good enough? Would he hurt her? Kill her?

With a trembling hand she firmly gripped his saliva soaked cock and stroked, desperately watching his face for signs of pleasure. Apparently he was easy to please. His hips jerked, pushing himself against her hand with a low groan.

"Faster," he growled.

Blushing self-consciously, she increased her speed, adding a flick of the wrist on each down stroke. She watched as Loki's knuckles grew white against the arms of the chair and his hips thrust against her hand. With a shout, Loki came, his controlled grip on the chair abandoned as his fingers found their way into her hair again, urging her to take his seed into her mouth.

Panting, Loki looked at her expectantly and she swallowed. When she licked her lips, he couldn't help himself. He pulled her to him by her wrists, crashing his mouth against hers. He could taste himself on her tongue, and that primal urge to claim her as his own took over.

The god rose with Annalise in his arms and walked them over to the nearby bed. In a frenzied effort to turn on the light he broke something, but Annalise couldn't see well enough to know what it was. She also didn't particularly care, seeing as he was also busy decimating her dress.

Though flattered by the attention, she wasn't really sure where all of this was going until she felt him hot, hard and throbbing against her leg. When she gasped in surprise he grinned proudly, clearly pleased with his recovery time.

Somewhere in the back of her brain it was suggested that she smack that stupid smile off his face, but when he slid a finger into her and emitted a groan even louder than hers at how wet she was, the thought faded away.

"Fuck," he muttered. "You liked serving your King?"  
 _This was self-preservation_ , she reminded herself and nodded.

"Good. I find you pleasing, little peach."

At some point, Loki had managed to knock the light on. (On the floor lay the unfortunate casualty of a crystal and gold vase, but that's what you get for furnishing a plane using priceless objects.) Annalise watched him with curiosity as he literally tore what was left of her couture gown off. The now worthless rags were scattered about the bedclothes and floor, whatever it took for Loki to divest her body of every scrap of cloth.

As if daring her to beg him to stop, Loki crawled on top of her and lined himself up with her entrance. Annalise stared at him stubbornly, which, of course, only goaded him on. With what he was expecting to be a ruthless thrust, he plowed into her, making them both cry out. He met almost no resistance, aside from the delectable squeeze of her tight little cunt. She was wet enough he would have assumed she'd already come.

"You really _do_ like to serve," he chuckled, earning himself a glare.

Loki wasted no time. He pulled his hips back, only to surge up over her once more as he his cock rammed against her cervix. She cried out in pain, which upon hearing gave him more pleasure than was typically considered healthy, but she continued to take the battering.

Deep down, she knew he was being much too rough. If she came, he'd only see that as encouragement, but she couldn't fucking help herself. She knew she'd walk funny in the morning (assuming she walked at all) and she could already feel where she'd have bruises on her pelvis.

Loki continued pounding her with his hips, dragging the sweetest, most tortured sounds he'd ever heard from the girl's lungs. She really, truly intended to remain stoic, but gave herself away with the involuntary pulsing of her velvety walls around him and the snap of her hips against his.

Somewhere between the thrusting and the groaning and the wailing, Annalise's lids had closed once more. Loki was having none of that.

"Look at me, Annalise," he hissed.

Against her better judgement, she opened her eyes, watching his expression as he reared back and into her again and again. He slipped a hand between them and used the slick juices of her cunt to circle his thumb around her aching little clit, immediately earning himself a shrieking orgasm from the woman.

Loki, relentless tyrant that he is, lessened his pressure on her little pearl, but didn't remove his circling thumb. She thrashed beneath him, far too sensitive for such stimulation, until moments later that warmth in her belly and visceral _need_ returned tenfold and sent her rocketing towards another orgasm, this time making her gush around his cock. Loki followed her with a shout, feeling rather accomplished at having seeded both her mouth and womb.

They lay sweaty, panting, and exhausted, but Loki's mood was phenomenally improved. _Mission accomplished._

Dr. Selvig chose that moment to enter the room and report his progress to Loki. Annalise

yelped in surprise and scrambled for a sheet to cover herself with, whereas Loki merely snickered at her dramatic antics and basked in all his naked glory. Poor Selvig and his glowing blue eyes didn't even register what he'd almost walked in on, despite the dual nudity. Poor guy.


	5. It's In the Air

Moving the next day was painful. Simply existing hurt. The King (more or less) had taken her twice more during the night.

At some point he'd left, and Annalise spent the remainder of the flight to New York curled in bed.

Honestly, she didn't want to see him at all. She was too confused right now. What kind of asshole comes at the hands of a maniacal, self-appointed dictator? She did.

When he wasn't awful, she kind of liked him. He just happened to be awful a lot.

A male cleared his voice from the doorway, causing her to throw the covers over her head in a panic. She _so_ didn't have energy to deal with him right now.

 _Maybe he'd believe her body turned into a surplus of lumpy pillows overnight._

She heard a faint, muffled voice, but when the sheets weren't rudely ripped from her grasp she decided her intruder was most likely not the King. Cautiously she peaked from beneath her refuge, relieved to see the voice belonged to one of Loki's agents. He neared the bed and offered her a bottle of water and extended an open palm.

"Er, these are for you, ma'am."

Sleepily Anna fumbled for the Motrin capsules and twisted the cap off the bottle, swallowing the pills with a few mouthfuls of water.

"Thank you," she mumbled tiredly.

The occasional hangover from nights out weren't unfamiliar. Physical, full-body sex hangovers as a result from spending the night with a god were.

"His Majesty is requesting your presence."

"I have no clothes. I'm not getting out of this bed."

"Um," the agent shifted awkwardly. "He said under no circumstances are you permitted to refuse."

" _Yeah,_ _I bet he said that_ ," she muttered.

"Fine. Whatever."

When she climbed out of bed nude, she didn't bother to tell the guard to turn around. Her modesty was shot. She dragged the sheet off the mattress and wound it around her middle. Pieces of her dress littered the floor. She shook her head. Kicking them away in irritation, she didn't bother looking for her shoes because she was pretty sure they were still in Germany.

Literally she had no clothes. No bag, no phone. Nothing.

Out in the main area of the plane, the King was back on the satellite phone, issuing orders to someone somewhere. When he saw her, he turned, still holding the phone to his ear. His eyes roamed over her body appreciatively and she reflexively clutched her sheet tighter and glared. Ending the call, he handed the phone off to the agent and nodded dismissively. With a wave of his hand, produced a platter of steaming breakfast food on the table before them. Annalise was too hungry to bother with a mocking remark about his powers.

She poured herself a glass of orange juice and dug into an omelet.

Abruptly, Loki launched into conversation.

"Explain Midgardian marriage customs to me, I don't understand this _God._ There is no one in Asgard with that name."

Rubbing her temples, Annalise counted to ten. Why were they taking about weddings?

She snorted to herself. Loki would be a total bridezilla.

Loki began repeating the question, only to be cut off by Annalise.

"I don't know what time it is, but it's too early to have this conversation."

The look Loki shot at her was not pleasant. He took a calming breath of his own and tried again.

"Barton inferred that a traditional... _Judeo-Christian_ ceremony would be best received by the planet."

Annalise really, _really, really_ didn't want to ask him who was getting married. Despite the limited amount of time she'd spent with him, she knew he'd keep going on and on without catching on to the fact that she was clueless unless she spoke up. Her question was reluctant, as if she were a mother asking a small child why the family pet is wearing Mommy's lipstick.

"Loki, who is getting married?"

Loki paused, reaching across the table for _her_ glass and taking a sip of juice. Not meeting her gaze, he idly stroked his glowing scepter. She had a feeling he was making a point to remind her just how much power he wielded.

"I need to get you with child immediately. Cross breeding is the surest way to secure my throne. And I understand that humans value children born in wedlock more than those that aren't."

"Oh my God, it's _really_ too early to have this conversation! What the hell!"

Loki smirked with an aggravating air of self satisfaction.

Her brows rose of their own volition. She was so afraid she'd miss some kind of indicator that he was joking that she couldn't blink. Her eyes watered.

"You… You aren't even done taking over the world! There's nothing to rule! You ju-."

"Enough. I'm being _extremely_ generous. You could always spend the rest of your days in chains, my peach." His smile was absolutely sinister.

Her glare was icy, but she was too stunned to back it up with a scathing remark. Her mouth was so dry she couldn't swallow.

"Because I'd happily arrange that. I'd keep you nude, leashed, like those dogs your kind are so find of, and at my side always. My little human pet."

She was torn between whining and spitting in rage.

"Loki, you saw that I was ineffective at Stuttgart last night. If this is really what you need to do, if you want to conquer Earth, you need a diplomat, not a liaison at your side."

"You please me. You're stubborn, but not unintelligent. Once you submit to me, you'll make a becoming queen."

Despite her sheet-dress, Annalise managed to wrestle her knees to her chest, resting her heels on the edge of her chair cushion.

This was not a man that understood the word "no." Like, it wasn't even in his seemingly extensive vocabulary. She sighed, buttering a piece of toast. It was probably wisest to let this issue go for now. Except for the pregnancy part. She needed to get to a pharmacy ASAP as soon as they landed. She realized she didn't know where they were going.

"Where are we flying to?"

"The City of New York."

"We're going to New York City?"

"That's what I said," he snapped.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Right, sorry. Why are we going there?"

"To conquer it."

Annalise almost spit out her bite of toast.

"You're going to take New York City?" She smirked. "You and what army?"

"The Chitauri."

It took a moment for his words to register and her smile to fall. Her stomach turned to lead. _Oh, God._ Of course he had an _army_. She peered into her cup. The orange juice was no longer sufficient. She needed a damn Screwdriver.

Her fingers drummed on the table surface. What was the best way to get through to a megalomaniac? What part of him was she supposed to appeal to?

"Loki," she began.

An agent passed through the room and the god narrowed his eyes at her.

It took her a moment, but once she realized her mistake she corrected herself.

"My King." The formal title she uttered wasn't completely without sarcasm.

"Good girl. Continue."

"New York City… it's not some citadel with walls and moats and castles. It's just a city, like Stuttgart was. You can't _conquer_ it."

Loki chuckled and shook his head like she was the most naïve being on the face of the Earth.

"Don't worry yourself with logistics, little peach. I'll take care of that."

Annalise yelped as he stood unexpectedly and pulled her from the chair, slipping his fingers between the tightly wound sheet and her breast, and tugged.

"And in return, you'll take care of me," he purred.

The King intentionally distracted her with the slight and while she was preparing to glare and retort, the sheet fluttered to the floor and he yanked her flush against his hard body. Without her heels, her lack of height had her nose nearly pressed against his sternum. She braced her hands on his upper abdominals.

Rock solid, warm, rippling abdominals. Distracted, she found her palms roaming up against his pecs, admiring the sheer might his body wielded.

 _Ugh. If only power weren't such a turn on._

As her hands wandered in absent minded fascination, she _felt_ his laugh rumble in his chest.

"You're so easy to please, kitten."

Annalise scowled at him. She was irritated, mostly because he was right. Angrily she pushed away in an attempt to put distance between them, but Loki, with his long damn arms, grabbed and lifted her up under her arms like a child and placed her squarely atop of the table.

It really, truly did enter her mind to put up more of a struggle, to perhaps test some self-defense maneuvers she'd seen on TV, but then the damn man had to go and grab her hips, dragging her until he could sufficiently grind his hardening bulge against her hot, wet core.

"The more you struggle, the harder I get," he breathed into her ear, his hot breath puffing against her face.

Successfully she bit back a whimper, which clearly would've only spurred him on, so that was definitely a win. But all her work was for naught when she let out a delirious moan as he worked his cock from his pants and ran the head along the length of her slit, slicked with her own wetness and his precum, rubbing teasing circles around her clit. This time the whimper escaped from between her lips, much to her dismay. She fell forward against him, grateful that he allowed her to cling to his shoulders.

The delicious pressure in her lower belly began commandeering her brain, that toe curling throbbing preventing her from thinking effectively. All she could do was feel. Annalise had to grit her teeth to keep from thrusting her hips against him. How did he make her feel so wonton and goddamn needy so fast? She could feel the slick on her thighs.

"Fuck," he growled, pumping his fist over his length, "You're always ready for me. Is all of this just from being in my presence? Is that really all it takes, my little peach?"

Digging her nails into the skin of his shoulders she tried to push him away in an effort to close her thighs, but he merely forced her legs further apart and pushed her onto her back.

He liked this even better. He could see her breasts rising and falling rapidly with each pant.

 _This girl was a most delectable toy, as far as humans go._

By the time she realized Loki's intent, he had already slithered an arm beneath each bent knee, and it was too late. When he slammed into her, she shrieked. The noise was a culmination of pleasure, embarrassment and pain; she was still tender and swollen from the night before. The girl turned her face to the side so she didn't have to watch the dark satisfaction in his eyes as he fucked her.

He sighed, but didn't miss a beat.

"Don't be angry sweet one, I love it. You feel so." Thrust. "Fucking." Thrust. "Good." Thrust. "Annalise."

Her name on his lips ruined her. That, and the fact that his thumb was circling her clit at an agonizingly slow pace. Facing him once more, her eyes locked with his as her jaw slowly fell open. She saw stars. Though her vision blurred with each pump of his hips, she caught sight of his mouth when he took his lip between his teeth in concentration.

He'd kissed her before, but when he had, they'd been harsh, dominating kisses to soothe his own nerves as he claimed her body. Her body seemed to appease him. It may turn the man into a complete animal, but a comforted animal. She looked at him, aching for a kiss or something that resembled intimacy so didn't feel so much like his _whore_. Let her pretend she wasn't just a pair of warm thighs for him to bury himself between.

Later she would blame the intensity and angle of his damn thrusts, which were quickly transitioning from painful to very, very enjoyable, for her lapse in brain function. In a rare show of utter vulnerability, she whimpered.  
"Kiss me?"

Loki narrowed his eyes and searched her face, looking for what, she was unsure.

When she realized what she'd asked aloud, she clapped a hand over her mouth in disgrace. He already thought her pathetic. If she didn't remind him of her worth, he could very well kill her. He most definitely didn't want a simpering child.

When his thrusts ceased, Annalise tried to climb off the table, so ashamed by her request that she couldn't look him in the eye. Loki pulled her legs around him, making sure her ankles hooked behind his back. Apparently too far gone for verbal communication, Loki simply slipped a nimble hand behind her neck and used the other to hoist her up by her waist. His lips claimed hers with a ferocity she'd never felt from him before. She knew she was very, very foolish for even thinking it, but perhaps he craved connection too? Mouths pressed together firmly, they both groaned. Loki's lips had always felt amazing against hers. Like he was drinking her in, consuming her kiss by kiss with no intention of returning her.

Their mouths slipped and slid and Anna lost track of her own movements. Had she been more aware, she would have realized that she met each of his thrusts with one of her own, and that the clapping noise her subconscious noted was the product of skin hitting skin. Her heels dug into his rear and her hips swung desperately at his.

In clinging to one another, neither had a free hand, but Loki's pelvis was hitting her clit just right, and his cock kept rubbing along that illusive little spot inside her. Annalise's thrusts became irregular as her mind closed down and her body took over. She found herself clinging to him once more, her face buried against his shoulder as she begged him to fuck her harder. Loki obliged with a growl, sending her keening over the edge with a shrieked curse. Normally one to tease a second orgasm out of his companion (for the simple sake of his own ego, not her pleasure) Loki lost control and his hips pistoned against her, her fluttering, constricting walls coaxing an intense orgasm of his own as he shot his seed deep into her core.

Both clung to the other for several moments, until Annalise unhooked her shaking legs and lowered her thighs to the table. The King surprised her when he took her lips once more, stealing her breath. Gripping her neck, he forced her mouth against his, sucking hungrily at her tongue. He nipped her lower lip before allowing her free and she gasped for air, her breasts heaving pleasantly against his chest.

The longer they held one another post-orgasm, the more Annalise realized the entire plane just heard Loki fuck the living daylights out of her. She'd never be able to look any of the agents in the eye again. Ever. She was also reminded of the fact that she was still very, very nude. Squirming from his grasp she reached for her sheet, only to be scooped up by Loki and carried back to their room.

"We will sleep now. Then I will provide you with clothing and we'll discuss your Midgardian marriage customs at length."

Letting her slide to the floor, he peeled the comforter of the bed (which had been considerately remade during their tryst) and ushered her under the covers. To her surprise, he climbed in after her and pulled her back against his front, possessively tucking an arm around her waist.

In truth, as her orgasm indicated, Annalise enjoyed sex with Loki. She loved the way he made her feel when he was inside her: Attractive, feminine, and powerful. Helpless at times, but at others very powerful. It was just that the majority of the time she felt like a dull, ignorant, and insignificant pest that apparently has no say in an inter-planetary marriage and birthing an heir to a god she was pretty sure wasn't sane by Earth's standards.


	6. Do You Feel Me Now?

The plane landed on the tarmac an hour north of the City at an inconspicuous airport. As she was herded into a limo, Annalise inquired about their accommodations but the agent in the driver's seat glanced at her in the rearview mirror and remained silent, his face emotionless.

Though the drive wasn't long, Annalise, sporting minor dark circles from Loki's late night attentions, drifted off while the King pestered her regarding the purpose of dual locations for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Twenty minutes later, an agent shook her awake as they drove up to Carrollcliffe. Loki peered out the window at the sumptuous castle, a satisfied smirk unfolding across his lips.

As she rubbed her eyes, she gazed up at the fortress before her and her jaw dropped. It was then that Annalise realized their lavish lodgings were chosen for several reasons. Firstly, Loki's ego. She was certain he'd highbrowed the concept of a dwelling with less than ten bedrooms, and the gargantuan Medieval Norman-style citadel surely had thirty, if not more. Secondly, what had been a castle appeared converted into a high end hotel which meant that it came equipped with toiletries, linens, food; enough supplies to sustain Loki's small entourage for months.

Loki's guards exited the limousine and strode into the castle. Moments later guests and staff filed out the front entrance. Only several had those frosty blue eyes, but she wasn't going to question it. Whatever the agents did to get everyone out was fine with her. People were safe, and soon they'd be out of Loki's reach. Cars and trucks with various state license plates caused a minor traffic jam on their way out of the hotel parking lot, but within fifteen minutes it had remedied itself and the premise was vacated of civilians. With the exception of Annalise, more or less.

The girl entered through the grand front doors with her head tilted back. Preoccupied with the 40 foot ceilings, she cursed as she tripped over the corner of an ornate rug. Annalise chewed her lip and glanced over her shoulder. There was commotion near the reception desk when the remainder of the hypnotized SHIELD agents began depositing a copious amount of shopping bags on the carpeted floor. Apparently Loki insisted on procuring Annalise a wardrobe that better reflected her position in society. Normally, she'd appreciate such a gesture. But she knew anything Loki did was for his own personal gain. She rubbed her temples as she took in the furnishings and décor. The entire castle was a display of superfluous affluence, surely what peaked Loki's interest.

Loki's men continued to haul shopping bags in from the car like pack mules, and Annalise chose to bank on the distraction. She ducked into the closest sitting room and held her breath. When no one came looking for her, she sprinted for the next doorway, looking desperately for an exit sign. Her heart was pounding and her palms were sweaty. This was not a good idea. In fact, this was a really bad idea. She kept telling herself she just needed some privacy, that she hadn't had time to herself since she'd been kidnapped. Her heart knew better than that. She wanted to _leave_. Her mind spun as she fumbled through making a decision.

He'd hurt her. She wasn't sure how, but he would. The thought of punishment at the hands of Loki's agents—or worse, Loki himself—made her stomach roll. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned on the wall, resting her forehead against the wooden paneling. Shoulders slumped, she sighed shakily and retraced her steps.

After backtracking through several rooms, she found herself in an unfamiliar area. She'd tried to escape, chickened out, and got lost. She was the worst prisoner ever. There was a dull throbbing at the base of her skull, the place her migraines usually stemmed from. Huffing, she plopped onto one of the couches and stuffed a pillow against the arm. Curling her knees to her chest, she pulled the binder from her hair so that she could lay down comfortably. Her eyes fluttered shut and she gave a deep sigh before nodding off.

It was dark when she woke. She stretched with a groan, popping a few vertebrae in her back. Blindly she fumbled for a lamp, almost knocking one over in her effort to flip it on. When the room illuminated, her heart stopped. Loki was sitting in the room for her, his ankle crossed on his knee, his hands curled around the ends of the chair arms. The King tilted his head, eyes narrowed as he watched her.

"Why did you come here?"

"I—. No reason. Just wanted some privacy," she mumbled.

Loki first grinned, then shook his head in mock sadness.

A familiar voice came from the doorway.

"I was hoping you'd be honest with me, my dear."

Annalise shrieked. Her head swiveled on her neck as she looked between the two identical figures, her hand going to cover her mouth. She took several heaving breaths of air, but when that wasn't enough to calm herself, she grabbed a pillow from the couch and held it to her face. She opened her mouth against the velvety fabric and screamed, her fingers digging angrily into the plush material. Sometimes you just gotta scream it out.

When she lowered it to her lap, her face was red and her eyes welled with tears. Both Lokis watched her, the chair version smirking, the other appearing almost concerned. The form in the doorway waved his hand and the chair was no longer occupied.

Annalise closed her eyes, tears dribbling down her cheeks. It was all too much.

"Please," she whispered. "Just let me go. I just want to go home."

Raising his brows in pity, Loki strode forward. The cushion she was on dipped with his weight and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Initially she froze, waiting for the other shoe to drop. When all she felt was his thumb rubbing reassuring circles against her arm, she relaxed into him, practically boneless.

"Please," she repeated with a sniffle.

"Oh, sweetling. I can't, you know that. I need you," he husked against her ear, making the poor girl shiver.

"Don't do that," she whined, embarrassed at how childish her tone was.

"Don't do what?"

His lips kissed the shell of her ear, then her lobe, which he sucked gently.

She squirmed, but stayed seated and brought her hands to her eyes to rub her tears away.

Slowly he kissed his way to the pulse point on her neck. She felt his tongue against her skin and she whimpered. She could smell him; a combination of leather, sweat and pure Loki.

Annalise held her own, putting all effort into staring forward as he teased her. But when he _gently,_ almost tenderly cupped her jaw and turned her to him, she was done for. He kissed her like he was afraid he'd break her. _She_ was the one to press her tongue against the seam of his lips, pleading for his attention. For as carefully he'd treated her seconds prior, his pace quickly turned relentless. The memory of how she came to be in his lap was hazy, as was at what point she began dry humping him. Everything became clear as day when an agent turned the overhead light on and awkwardly cleared his throat.

"It's time, your Highness."

Loki's posture changed immediately. He lifted Annalise from his lap and set her on her feet before standing himself and taking a moment to straighten his armor and wrap his hand around the shaft of his spear. He made for the doorway but paused, facing her but speaking to the agent.

"Watch her. Don't let her out of your sight," he ordered, looking Annalise in the eye as he gave instruction.

"I'm not coming with you?"

She hadn't realized how tight with fear her chest had been.

"Oh no, little peach. It's far too dangerous. What kind of King exposes his Queen to his brutish army?" He chuckled and strode through the doorway.

She watched him bark orders at a pair of agents, then proceed through the lobby until he disappeared. An engine started, and he was gone.

If she was relieved, why did his departure make her stomach roll?

x

After Loki left, Annalise desperately wanted to crawl in bed and burrow beneath her comforter so that all that existed was muffled silence. But no amount of bedding could silence the commotion that was echoing up the Hudson. At first it sounded like thunder, but when she saw smoke rising in Manhattan she knew the noises were more than that. There were explosions. Her stomach churned as she thought of the harm Loki was bringing upon innocent people. She had been forced into supporting him. She had helped him up until now, and she couldn't exist as a bystander a moment longer. She prayed he'd allow her to appeal to him.

Shaky, but determined, she stepped under a cool shower, shivering as it startled her into alertness. Once clean, she chose a cream sheath dress, nude pumps and a staggeringly large emerald pendant necklace. She reviewed her appearance in the mirror as she swept her hair over her shoulder to fasten the clasp. She fingered the pendant, straightening it so that it hung evening between her breasts. The gaudy piece gleamed, even in the dull light of the hotel room. Loki would be appreciative.

Convincing the agents to drive her to Loki threatened to take time and patience, neither of which she had in excess. So she practiced her diplomacy skills, more or less. In this situation, that meant spending five minutes total on the negotiation. She asked nicely to be taken to New York; asked to be taken to New York; announced that it was time to leave for New York; and then threatened to tell Loki they disobeyed their queen if they didn't depart for New York right then and there.

As they neared the City, she couldn't pull herself from the window. Dark armored forms rode airborne machines that looked like Jet skis, darting between buildings as they fired, shooting at people, cars and structures alike. Massive slug-like creatures the size of whales slithered through the skies, crashing into skyscrapers and sending victims fleeing for their lives. Overturned cars blazed with engine fires like a scene from Godzilla.

Her driver rolled to a stop 300 yards from a giant crowd of dirty, frightened people corralled in the middle of an intersection. They clung to one another, staring in fear at the tall, dark haired man hovering before them on one of the monster's machines.

There was too much destruction to drive through. She'd have to navigate on foot. Close to where she stepped out of the car were several news anchors still filming, whispering into their microphones and looking back at their cameramen with wide, frightened eyes. As her shoes crunched on glass and rubble, her eyes flitted to piles of debris—that were at one time buildings—partially burying a red sedan. She caught several pairs of eyes staring at her through the window of the overturned car and silently she held her finger to her lips. The two women nodded and ducked back down.

As she drew closer, she saw that surrounding the pitiful group of humans were clones, like the one Loki tricked her with earlier that day, armed with replicas of his blue-tipped staff. The Chitauri, the dark creatures bedecked with slate colored armor, stood menacingly with their other worldly guns and spears pointed at men and women. Some dressed in business casual, others with the backpacks and tennis shoes of tourists.

Slowly making her way forward, she stumbled over a beam of wood, at once drawing the attention of all the creatures in the vicinity. For a moment, she froze. Loki watched her intently with a haughtily raised brow, as if he were eager to see how his little toy would act now that she was caught disobeying orders. She cleared her throat and stepped forward, avoiding a lone tire, eyes set on _her_ Loki; the original Loki, standing regally before his subjects on a Chitauri craft.

"L—. My King," she began, speaking from her diaphragm so that all could hear and bowing to the best of her ability.

"Ah, my fair, _rebellious_ Queen. Be a dear, come say hello," he bid her, motioning for his alien driver to lower the aircraft. Two of his clones suddenly appeared on either side of her, gripping her forearms to escort her brusquely to the true King.

Once he had both feet on the ground, Loki lazily waived his hand and conjured a grand golden throne and seated himself, a false smile playing about his lips. He extended an arm in invitation to Annalise. There was no second seat for his queen. It was clear he wanted her in his lap like a little pet. Penance for her disobedience, she assumed.

Annalise moistened her lips and took several steps forward, her throat constricting as the duplicates escorted her past the normal, everyday people-turned-victims that were terrified and looking straight at her with desperation.

She closed the distance between herself and the King, warily eyeing the Chitauri warrior behind Loki leering openly at her. One of the duplicates at her side roughly shoved her towards the throne before disappearing as the real Loki snapped his fingers.

Annalise stood awkwardly before him, fiddling with her dress, running her palms over the material and smoothing out imaginary lines. When she couldn't find a reason to stall any longer, she spoke to him though her eyes were on her feet.

"What's going to happen to them?"

Loki motioned at the petrified humans.

"Oh, them? Do not worry yourself darling. They are mere spoils of war. They shan't be missed. You should be much more concerned for your own wellbeing, my undisciplined darling."

She looked up, her brow furrowed. Ignoring the bit about her, she focused on the people behind her.

"Spoils of war? A—are you going to kill them?"

Dramatically Loki looked upward in thought and tapped his chin as if searching for an answer. He spoke to her as if she were a child.

"Well, dearest, slavery doesn't have a _low_ mortality rate, and the Chitauri are a violent species I'm afraid. If the humans are intelligent enough to do as they're told, I am sure that they will be fine."

Annalise closed her eyes, trying to block out the screams of crying children and the hushed murmurs of the panicky crowd as she attempted to think. She only knew of one way to appeal to the god.

Bravely, Anna tread forward with an air of confidence she most certainly did not feel and perched on his lap. Immediately his hands were on her, one curling around her waist and the other situating itself far too high up her thigh for her liking. Tentatively she slid her hand to his shoulder for stability, but he yanked her to him, forcing her to clutch at him. He stroked her upper leg, idly playing with the hem of her dress.

"You seem to object to my ruling, darling," he crooned in her ear.

She shivered. Perhaps sitting in his lap wasn't a very strategic move. In an attempt to fight fire with fire, she turned, nuzzling her nose against him and whispered.

"Maybe I'm just being selfish," she purred. "What if you were to give them to me?"

"Give them to you? As a reward for your unruly behavior?"

She took in a breath as if to speak, but thought better of it. Loki would only twist and manipulate her words. Instead, she nodded silently.

He pulled back, narrowing his green eyes at her.

"And give my army what? Rubble?"

He was going to refuse her. She could feel it. Quelling her discomfort, Annalise smiled coyly and buried her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging him back to her. When her breath stuttered against his ear, it wasn't for show. Her heart was pounding as she resorted to the last idea she had.

"As a wedding gift, my King. Please? For your Queen?"

To emphasize her eagerness and sincere appreciation, she squirmed in his lap, making sure to rub her rear against places that made him hiss.

When he spoke next, he addressed both the cluster of humans and the aliens. He also made sure to look at the news cameras back near his man's limousine; apparently he'd been aware of them the entire time.

"How can I deny my sweet queen? She has asked for these humans as a wedding present and I simply cannot refuse her. Chitauri, gather the remaining people in the area for transport. You may have the city. Your patience will be rewarded."

He knew he'd chosen his queen well. As he'd hoped, the entire world had just witnessed Annalise putting herself on the line for them. If that didn't buy loyalty, he didn't know what would. Of course their allegiance would only extend to the human half of their ruling couple for now, but they would grow to worship him as well.

He turned to face the media and pulled Annalise to her feet, tucking her against his side. Dizzy from standing so quickly, she clutched his long leather jacket.

Loki looked directly into the news cameras with his lips curled into a haughty smile.

"It is thanks to your benevolent Queen that these people go free today. Do not forget how she begged for your mercy, how she was willing to sacrifice herself for all of your miserable lives."

Annalise flinched at "miserable."

She watched nervously as the victims of New York City were herded into Chitauri transport ships that then flow away in the direction of the castle. Brows furrowed in worry that Loki would go against his own word, she turned to him in panic.

"Hush, little peach," he soothed, tucking her hair behind her hear and kissing her cheek.

"Your new playthings are being taken to Carrollcliffe. They'll be cleaned, watered and fed and we'll deal with them in the morning."

Relief hit Annalise so suddenly that could no longer stand up straight. Her shoulders slumped, she struggled to keep her head from drooping forward. The adrenaline was gone and she was fading from her efforts. As she sagged against her King, he caught her. Compared to his seven-foot frame, she was small enough that he could practically cradle her to his chest like a child. After conferring with the leader of the Chitauri, Loki carried her through the ruins back to the car.

"Thank you," she breathed, her eyes sliding closed as the tightness in her chest finally released. The limousine car door clicked shut after him.

"Don't thank me, love. You were brilliant."

She was almost asleep, he knew. But Loki watched her face with anticipation, so eager for a reaction. After several beats, her lids flew open and her ears rang. Blue eyes squinted with confusion, then widened as she realized what he had done. What he manipulated her into doing for him. He knew she'd come, knew she'd see her fellow humans in danger dsand beg for their safety.

He watched her as her cheeks flushed and her lip curled.

"What did you do? What did you make me do?"

"Dearest, when you look back at this moment, you'll see it had to be done. When has post-invasion rule ever started on a positive note? They needed to see that you're on their side. You're their hope, their savior, and you'll get them through this transition."

Her jaw kept opening to speak, but she couldn't choose which words best expressed how she felt. She wanted to strangle him. To hurt him. Her fingers curled into fists and, though seated, her back straightened, and she held her head high.

"You are the worst man I've ever met. You're a cruel and selfish and narcissistic," she all but yelled, jabbing him in the chest with her pointer finger. Finger against leather armor wasn't a good match, but he seemed to get an idea of the level of her fury. She'd never laid a hand on him before. Not in this sense, at least.

Despite the steady speed limit at which the vehicle was traveling, she reached for the door handle.

"Stop! Let me out. Now."

In one hand he snatched her wrist with a bruising grip, with the other grabbed for her throat. He applied threatening pressure to her windpipe with his thumb, cutting off the majority of her air.

"Listen to me, my little whore. Did you not see the TV crews when I granted you your _wedding_ gift? You just pledged yourself to me in front of hundreds of millions. What do you think will happen to your caravan of slaves when they reach the castle and you're not in sight? Do you think I'll just let them go?"

He squeezed tighter, causing her to grip his arm, desperately raking her fingernails against his skin to break his grip. She couldn't breathe. The perimeter of her vision began darkening and the energy to fight him disappeared.

"Are you going to be an obedient little slut, Annalise?"

He didn't let go completely, but let up on the pressure of his thumb and allowed her to suck in some oxygen to answer.

"Yes, Loki," she rasped.

The pressure to her pharynx returned.

"Your Grace!"

"Better."

Finally, he let her go and her hand flew to her red throat as she greedily gulped in air. The car rolled to a stop—they were back to Carrollcliffe. She may not be permitted to leave Loki, but she sure as Hel didn't need to be this close to him. Her eyes were wide with fear as she fumbled for the door handle. By reaching for it blindly, she accidentally locked it once, then groped desperately for the button to undo the action.

Loki crossed his arms in annoyance and surveyed her. Finally, she pulled on the door handle and scrambled out from the back seat, kicking her heels off as she ran barefoot into the castle.


	7. I Need a Hit

Chapter Text

He found her in the restaurant bar, staring into a wine glass filled with several inches of brown liquid. He made a show of shutting the doors loudly as to not startle his captive into another shrieking episode.

Her eyes flicked up to him vigilantly. Apparently she wasn't all that intoxicated.

"You were not difficult to find, little one."

Having only had a few sips of her drink, Annalise wasn't drunk. She was sober enough to still be passive aggressive.

"My _Lord_ ," she sneered. "Whatever have I done to deserve your presence?"

"Now, now, don't be rude. Little girls get rudeness spanked out of them."

"Is that a promise?"

Her cheeks flamed. Maybe her judgement was more impaired than she thought?

Loki's pupils dilated and suddenly he was very, very close.

"It certainly would not be out of place to beat you, little peach. You've been very, _very_ naughty today."

She rolled her eyes with a sigh, indifferently tracing her finger around the lip of her glass.

"Whatever," she muttered.

"You disagree? Or you simply don't value my word?"

When she ignored him, he snatched the glass from her hand and stashed it on the bar countertop, far out of her reach. Though the grip he took on her chin wasn't rough, it certainly wasn't gentle. Firmly he tilted her face up to his, eyes locked on hers with far too much intensity.

"Oh, Annalise. You came so far in your obedience," he said with mock sorrow.

She frowned and unsuccessfully tried to wrench her jaw from his grasp. He clucked his tongue at her and tenderly brushed her hair from her face.

"My little Queen needs a lesson in obedience."

Faster than she was able to process, removed her from her seat, took her place and collected both of her wrists in one hand as he pulled her across his lap. He let her grunt and curse, fighting against him like a petite hellcat until she lay still, sweaty and panting. They both knew he overpowered her ten to one. Slowly Loki used his free hand to slide her dress around her waist and trace his fingers along the inside of her thigh, slapping her gently and following with a command.

"Open."

Annalise breathed heavily for a moment, desperately considering her options: She had none.

With a muttered insult she reluctantly spread her thighs, yelping when the flat of his hand collided with her rear.

"If you cannot speak up, then do not speak at all, dearest."

Her breath was shaky, but she nodded. The King rubbed his cool hand over the reddening skin, crooning wordlessly at her as she whimpered.

He could've made her panties disappear with magic. She _knew_ it. But he didn't. Instead, he appreciatively ran his fingers over the cream lace, moaning at the pearl thong that disappeared between her cheeks. He gathered the fabric in his fist and pulled, causing the beads to sink into her slit and roll against her as she moaned.

She unsuccessfully fought against the hold he had on her wrists, she couldn't _not_. Her ego wouldn't allow her to merely lay down and take his abuse. Hooking the pearl chain with his finger, the King inhaled sharply when he felt how wet her pink little slit was. He slowly pulled her panties down until they hung around her knees.

He followed up with ten more efficient slaps, rotating cheeks every other swat. Her cries grew shriller with each smack, and though she struggled while he disciplined her, she stilled herself when he was finished. He could hear her sniffling and feel her hot little tears falling onto the leg of his trousers. Affectionately he ran his fingers through her hair, smiling with satisfaction when she shivered.

"There's a good girl," he murmured. "But that does not negate your misbehavior earlier today."

Of course it didn't. This time when she tried to tug her wrists free, he allowed it. She scrubbed at her eyes, wiping away tears of humiliation. Her arse burned. She could handle that. What she couldn't handle were Loki's _cold_ hands—he must have been using his _powers—_ running along her angry, pinked flesh, soothing her. She made to move off his lap but he stopped her by taking a hand full of hair and jerking her neck back uncomfortably.

"We are not done, lovely peach."

When she felt his hand slip between her legs she stiffened, holding her breath. _He wouldn't, would he? He would._ Loki lazily explored her with his fingers, tracing circles on the insides of her thighs, gripping and squeezing her ass with a grunt of approval. Then, his fingers slipped between her pink folds. Simultaneously, she let out a whine and he groaned. She was positively dripping.

"Oh, _darling._ "

Annalise whimpered, and for the first time that night put forth all effort to free herself from his grip. She scratched against his calf, trying to tear through his pant leg, while angrily squirming and rocking her middle against the hands that held her in his lap.

His fingers never ceased their movement. In fact, two had nestled their way into her velvety core. She was so incredibly torn. If she continued to wriggle, she ran the risk of rubbing herself against the pads of his fingers. If she _didn't_ wriggle, he was going to pleasure her regardless of her wishes. In the midst of her writhing, he smirked and let her go. She had been battling with such vigor that when he released her, she fell to the floor with an _oomph._

Kicking off her panties, as they only hindered her ability to sprint away from him, she pulled her dress back down and started backing up, jumping as the bar hit her lower back.

"I do love your struggle, dear one, but don't exhaust yourself. Let me do that," he purred, cornering her between a mounted barstool and the counter. She looked like a frightened Midgardian deer. He felt himself swell. Those round, wide, scared eyes. He was fairly certain she knew he wouldn't harm her, not permanently at least. But he _would_ have her. That was his right.

"We have not yet been wed, and already you deny me your body?"

Her eyes flitted to the closed doors and her heart sank. Even if she could make it, by the time she fought with the locks and doorknobs, he'd be on her. Literally. Slowly she edged away from the stool, centering herself before him. She shyly shook her head.

"No, what?"

"I'm not denying you."

His eyes turned cold as he smirked and advanced, effectively pinning her against the bar.

"Why aren't you denying me, little peach?"

She looked at him, brows furrowed in confusion. He waited several beats so his question could sink in and she could give him the answer he wanted.

She knew he wanted ownership. To hear that that she belonged to him. But she refused. To his surprise, she stubbornly she pursed her lips, crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head like an indignant child.

He leaned in, nuzzling his nose against her jaw and inhaling her sweet scent. Bending and gripping her hips, he hoisted her up onto the counter, quickly pushing against her chest until she lay flat. Without missing a beat, he crawled on top of her, showing off his proud erection by grinding it against her belly.

"Why fight me? You know you can't win. My body is stronger than yours, as is my will," he boasted.

With a growl she feebly pushed against him. In a wink he snapped his slender fingers, disappearing both their clothes and pinned her wrists above her.

"Enough," he hissed.

Tiring of her game, he pried her legs open uncomfortably wide.

"No!"

She tried to kick out at him but he swatted his palm against her breast, surprising her long enough to guide his cock into her slick pink cunt. Annalise gasped, both at the shock of the slap and the toe-curling satisfaction of him burying his length inside her.

"Stop," she panted.

He chuckled and leaned forward, briefly molding his mouth against hers.

"I can fuck you like you're my whore, or like you're my wife. It's up to you," he murmured against her lips. He truly didn't have a preference. Either way he got off just as hard.

Her silence decided for her.

Not giving her time to adjust to his girth, he slammed into her several times in succession, making her bite her lip in an attempt to keep quiet. If he had released her wrists, she wouldn't have used her hands to fight him. Him fucking her was inevitable. She would've clapped them over her lips to smother her own damn moans.

While thrusting swiftly, Loki clucked his tongue and shook his head. He leaned forward, whispering harshly into her ear, his breath coming in short pants.

"We both _know_ you want this. Can you not feel how easily my cock slides into your slick cunt? It's okay, sweetness," he soothed, "I know you need it. I'll give it to you now, but one day you're going to scream for me how much you _need_ this."

Resiliently Annalise fought him until he lowered his face so that his nose touched hers, resting the majority of his upper body on her small frame and keeping her completely still. With a serious expression on his face, he watched her. She stared back at him, brows crinkled in confusion and humiliation. He seemed to be waiting for something. And then it happened. She gave herself away when he felt her throb around around him, her walls tightening as if they'd never let him out.

Her mind and face refused him, but her body couldn't have been clearer. Bracing his hands on either side of her, he pushed himself back up and snapped his hips hard against hers, reveling in the wet slap that echoed through the restaurant.

"You will love this even more when you finally give in, kitten. I promise. I know you think me cruel," he grunted as she squeezed over him tightly, "But be mine and I will treat you like the queen you are."

Annalise forced herself to look away from him as she whimpered, trying to arch her back in an effort to move her pelvis away from his. It backfired, of course. He moaned in appreciation as she unintentionally pressed herself against him and he lifted a hand to roam about her chest, unable to keep from also lowering his mouth to take a nipple between his lips.

She knew he had power over her. He used her own safety against her, and now the safety of the New Yorkers she thought she'd saved. She practically agreed to marry him on what was likely international television. He _had_ her in so many ways, she was terrified to willingly give herself to him in this final act. She couldn't belong to him without caring for him. In fact, she was fairly certain she already cared for him in some sick way. But she also feared him, and most definitely didn't trust him. She couldn't force herself to surrender completely to him. He was too dangerous.

Despite her admirable resolution, her body was still on a completely different agenda and engaging in a deep discussion with herself was not on it. He released her wrists, confident that though she hadn't submitted to him, she had yielded control for tonight.

She shuddered especially hard when he suckled at her firm little nipple. Now that her hand was free, it, of its own volition, buried itself in his hair and clutched him to her. She could feel him smile against her breast but she ignored him. She had other things to focus on, such as the fact that forming coherent thought was becoming difficult.

When Loki released her now swollen nipple from his mouth, he lunged up over her, staring down at her with a frightening intensity. Her eyes searched his, irises fearfully flicking back and forth as he surveyed her. The bastard smirked as he cupped her jaw with his hand and started rocking into her ruthlessly, his pelvis grinding against her swollen, aching clit.

As her mouth opened in a silent scream, he ghosted his lips over hers, teasing, _tormenting_ her with what he knew she wanted. _He remembered._ That humiliating moment on the plane when she begged like a fool for him to kiss her. And now he was teasing her, taunting her with it. She couldn't help herself.

"Please," she whispered. "I'll be good."

Immediately he felt her thighs relax and fall open for him, her body now much more cooperative and malleable. There was something else besides triumph in the look he gave her, but she couldn't decipher it, nor did she particularly care to at that moment in time as his lips descended on hers.

Their kiss embodied their evening interaction. Loki's mouth was punishing, his tongue ruthless as he plundered her mouth. Initially she fought back, meeting him blow for metaphorical blow, but as his hips found a rhythm that made her whimper against his lips, she slowly conceded.

Loki growled as his kisses became light and teasing, his tongue darting out to touch her lip but pulling back just as quickly. Her thighs wrapped around his hips on their own this time, her heels digging into his rear, encouraging his frenzied thrusts. He brought her higher and higher until she completely exploded with his lips pressed fervently to hers, partially muffling her screams as she pulsed around him.

Loki, ever the narcissist, grunted deep in the back of his throat as he came at the feeling of her contacting around him, flooding her throbbing pussy with his come.

He pulled out of her, waved a hand so that they were both clothed again, and wiped himself on her dress.

She blinked dumbly, still sex-stupid and partially in denial of what her King had just done.

He leaned over, scooping up her panties and tossing them to her.

"Go, see your new slaves. Tuck them in, read them a story. But do nott change, do not shower. Go exactly as you are. Let them know who you belong to," he murmured, kissing her cheek, "and then come to bed."


	8. It's Dangerous

That night once the victims of New York were bathed and fed, Annalise addressed them as a group.

"I cannot express how much I regret you all having been involved in this mess. I know no words will put you at ease," she cleared her throat and fiddled with her lavish emerald necklace hanging from her neck.

"If you choose to stay and would like your families brought to the castle, I will make arrangements immediately for their safe passage. Humbly I urge you to stay here, where I can ensure your safety. His Highness is dangerous, please don't underestimate him."

One of the victims raised his hand.

"Don't we have a better chance out there? Shouldn't we run?"

"He doesn't share his plans with me," she admitted, "I can only hope that this is preferable compared to… what he plans for the others. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe.. Maybe the Avengers will reassemble and stop him. Your safety is my responsibility, and I can better watch over you if you stay here. I understand if you don't stay, but please know that if you do, you'll be under my protection. I won't let any harm come to you. I swear it."

"And we're supposed to take your word? The " _King's_ " whore?"

The crude man pointed at her rumpled dress and mussed hair.

Annalise blanched, looking down in shame. _She was, wasn't she?_ Days ago the King had deemed her professional skillset useless, but he valued other things she could give him. He offered her protection in exchange for her body. She was a traitor to her entire race.

Clearing tightness from her throat, she took a deep breath and raised her head high.

"My being his _whore_ is what permitted me to beg for your safety. I didn't choose this. But like you, I've found myself irrevocably involved with this… man and I'm doing what I need to survive, and to ensure the survival of others."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, pairs of frightened eyes glancing nervously up at Annalise as they decided their own fates. In the end, thirty stayed. The others left without incident, likely because Annalise snuck them out through the kitchens where Loki's men wouldn't see them.

As the sun rose, wearily she stepped under the hot spray of the shower and washed the awful day down the drain.

x

The next morning Annalise woke to hot, open mouthed kisses pressed against the bare skin of her back. She shouldn't have been surprised at his attention now; the King had not taken her again in the night, for which she was grateful. Her rear was still tender, not to mention her lady bits. That went without saying.

When he nipped at her shoulder blade she gasped and clenched her eyes shut. For the sake of her heart and sanity it was important that she not encourage him, but the duality of his cool lips and hot tongue on her skin was delirium inducing. Add in the biting and the poor girl was beyond helping. She couldn't think when he touched her.

"Stop," she mumbled, burying her face against her pillow. She could feel him smile against her skin as he continued, completely ignoring her.

Annalise jabbed her elbow into what she hoped were his ribs, her lips curling into a tiny smile of satisfaction when he grunted.

"Now, now," he growled, grabbing her shoulder and flipping her on her back. He slithered over her and used his body to pin hers to their mattress. There was no need to secure her wrists, still bruised from the night before; she stayed still for him. God only knew what it would take for him to decide she needed another humiliating spanking.

He hadn't yet lashed out angrily and though his grip was firm, it was gentle. His eyes flicked back and forth between hers, his brows furrowing in thought.

"You like my mouth on you," he stated bluntly, one dark brow raised.

 _Of course she did._ She inhaled and moistened her lips as if to reply, but instead frowned and averted her eyes.

Loki didn't bother waiting for a verbal answer and disregarded her physical reaction. He knew what he said was true.

"You know, you were singing a very, very different tune on our flight to New York, dearest. And last night."

"I know," she muttered. "I was confused. I shouldn't have asked to bring intimacy into our arrangement."

"Intimacy?"

She knew Loki was intelligent, but he seemed genuinely confused.

"Kissing," she mumbled with embarrassment. She felt so needy and pathetic.

"Ah. It's too much for you, then? What is it you want instead, then? To be taken from behind like an animal each night?"

 _Did she?_ _Was that preferable to his erratic acceptance and rejection of her? How else could she distance herself from the King when he was literally inside her?_

"Yes. Or let me close my eyes."

He hissed.

"So you can imagine another man making you writhe while I'm inside you? I do not think so, little peach," he growled. His eyes roamed her face, which she tried to relax. He was perceptive enough without her emotions broadcasting across her features.

Still staring at her, he laughed condescendingly with a single huff and gave his head a shake. Planting a palm on either side of her head, he leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"A queen should love her king," he purred, licking a stripe along her neck. "Have you so quickly forgotten your worship of me?"

Her breath hitched. No, she most definitely had not. Never had she enjoyed sucking a man's cock until that night on the plane. Just thinking about the power she'd felt made her throb.

"Of course not." She swallowed. "But an adoring queen deserves an adoring king," she countered weakly.

"Oh, I adore you, dearest." On _adore_ he ground himself against her with a groan.

She quelled a whimper and looked away in disgusted frustration.

"If you're going to fuck me, then fuck me. Just get it over with," she snapped.

"Are you implying this attraction is one sided?"

Pressing her lips into a tight line, she reluctantly returned her gaze to his face and shook her head.

"Then what, pray tell, is the problem?"

Annalise hesitated. Did he feel torn like she did? She wanted so badly to put herself in his hands, to trust that he'd protect her heart and mind. But he wouldn't. It wasn't in his nature to care for someone… But he certainly knew how to manipulate others into caring for him. At least, he manipulated her. Absent mindedly she wondered how much of what she begrudgingly felt for him was orgasm-induced. If you climaxed with your captor, does that make you identify with him more?

"Nothing," she mumbled.

With an exasperated sigh Loki rolled off her onto his back.

"So, my peach would prefer I not kiss her? Is that it then? Do not _confuse_ you?"

Annalise closed her eyes and tried to rub her sleepiness away with her heels of her palms. She wanted to give up, to just give into him. But if she let him do whatever he wished with her, he'd break her, and not in the physical sense.

With a sigh she opened her eyes.

"Yes. Don't confuse me."

It wasn't until she realized Loki was silent that she turned to look at him.

He was smirking. _What had she done? Had she just turned this into a game for him?_

"And if I _do_ confuse you? You will leave, abandoning your little slaves?"

"I'd take them with me," she said stubbornly, sticking her chin out.

"Yes, that would go marvelously. When I recaptured all of you, I would turn you into one of them. You would serve me, of course. But instead of the free woman you are now, you would be _my_ slave. Does that sound preferable?"

It almost did. It took her consent out of the picture. She could be his without guilt of having consented.

Loki's eyes widened at her contemplative silence and he rolled on his side to face her.

"I have no issue keeping you naked and chained at my side all day. You know I am not bluffing."

"I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

When she apologized Loki made a face. Too many feelings for the King's liking.

"I do not want to repeat this conversation, Annalise."

He shoved the covers aside and rose for the day, stretching his long arms in the air before disappearing to shower.

The girl nodded and pulled her knees to her chest with a sigh. She surveyed the extravagant room. If she were in any other situation, such lush accommodations would've made her giddy. Instead, the extravagance just reminded her that some god wanted to make her Queen of Earth. Annalise wanted to burrow under the covers very badly, but she had a slew of Loki's victims to protect and she couldn't do that from bed. She waited until the water turned off before rising. Though he'd likely be puttering around the bathroom (he was fond of the consistency of human morning rituals), she'd be free to slip into the shower without being obligated to talk with him.

x

Caring for thirty civilians proved to be exhausting. Earlier in the day Annalise sent a handful of Loki's men back to the empty Westchester. The immediate area had been completely evacuated after Loki's attack, and everything was closed. Thirty was about to turn into forty-three once spouses and children arrived, and she refused to ask those in her care to don the starchy uniforms of the hotel staff.

She asked the victims to elect five leaders with whom she met regarding community functionality. She wished it unnecessary, but forty-three was a daunting number of bellies to fill

and the hotel's store was about to deplete much faster than if it had been only Loki and Co.

They needed to assign roles to maintain some type of order and continuity for the community.

Annalise and her ambassadors met through lunch and dinner to concoct a reasonable schedule and division of labor. Feeling accomplished, but exhausted, Annalise detoured through the bar on her way to her room and poured a splash of scotch. After downing it she, as expected, sputtered, immediately refilling her glass with water and gulping it down. She returned the bottle to its rightful place and poured a glob of dish soap into the glass. She hadn't realized how much of a slob she'd become over the past week or so, but she was sure Loki's men had been picking up after her. With a roll of her eyes, she sighed. How was she supposed to lead a group of people if Loki thought her above them? She promised herself she'd stop leaving messes wherever she went. Doing so would only add to the stress and workload of the group and likely foster resentment towards her.

Stomach growling, Annalise wandered to the kitchens. She found prepared sandwiches in one of the commercial refrigerators and piled a few on a plate to stuff in the mini fridge back in the room. She prayed they didn't have to deal with harnessing electricity for a few more weeks. The poor girl couldn't handle many more responsibilities.

Instead of the elevator, she opted for several flights of stairs. She was exhausted, but desperate to put off seeing Loki. She loitered on each floor, chewing idly at her food and looking at the ancient paintings mounted on the walls. Warily she scaled the final stair to the fourth floor. Slowly she walked towards her room, tracing her finger along the carved designs in the wooden paneling of the wall.

"You are not evading me, are you little peach?"

Annalise yelped in surprise and dropped her plate, heart pounding so loud she could barely hear.

"How did you know where I was?"

"You forget that I am not of this realm. I can see and smell and hear things that you do not know exist," he purred.

He advanced, forcing her back up against a room door. Behind the thick wood, she could hear the muffled sounds of a family readying for bed.

"Please," she whispered, "Not here."

"Lately you have so many conditions, little one. I think you forget who is in charge."

Her eyes widened and she shook her head, quietly pleading with him.

"Please, Loki. Please, _please not here_. I'll be good."

She hated begging like this. She felt like a child… But she couldn't bear for her charges to think even lower of her. It wouldn't do for there to be stories shared at breakfast of how their Queen was taken up against someone's room door the night before.

He cupped her face, ghosting his lips along her jaw.

"What if I want to _confuse_ you? Will you behave even then?"

Her nod was hampered by his grip, but he felt the assenting shake of her head.

"Good girl."

For such a hard man, his cool lips were incredibly soft. She didn't bother to hold back her whimper. He knew he was torturing her. But she couldn't bring herself to pull away.

Annalise buried her fingers in his silky hair, making him groan. Anxiously she broke away and tugged on his hand, breathing easier when he reluctantly followed. He was villain in this story. Her charges already detested him. He could safely moan all he wanted. She, on the other hand, had a reputation at stake.

Clumsily she dug for her key card, opened the door and led him inside their room. She didn't know what to do, she'd just ruined the moment by interrupted and dragging them inside. Her eyes were desperate when they found his, silently pleading that they stay in the room instead of christening the hallways.

"Come here."

Swallowing hard, she obeyed, approaching him until she stood toe to toe with him, her eyes on her feet. Growing impatient of her mercurial timidity, he lifted her chin with a finger.

"Be a good girl," he growled.

The seven-foot man lifted her so that her legs wrapped around his waist. Once again, he sealed his mouth to hers. There was literally no escape; she was airborne. Even if she struggled, there was nowhere to go. Assuming she could spare the brain cells, she could try and pull her lips from his, but he'd likely only follow her with his mouth. Her only choice—option, rather—was to surrender.

At some point she realized he was walking. Even as he moved, his grip never wavered. She felt completely safe in his steady grasp. She heard him flick a switch and she squinted against the fluorescent bathroom lights. When he deepened the kiss she completely lost interest in their location, even as she vaguely registered the squeak of a dial and cold spray against her side. She shivered and clung to him tighter.

Talk about climbing a man like a tree. The way he held her kept her core planted too far above his cock to grind against it properly, so she twined her arms behind his neck, hooked her ankles behind his back and pulled herself up, then let herself fall just a fraction, generating just enough friction against his belly to feel the tiniest amount of relief from the throbbing between her thighs. Her head fell back as she thrust against him, and had she seen the valiant, cocky smile that curled across Loki's lips, she might have smacked him. But luckily for both of them she was too far gone to be bothered with the triumphant facial expressions of her lover.

"Fuck," she groaned as Loki vanished both of their clothes. As he walked them beneath the cool shower spray she gasped and fastened herself to him with even more gusto. He chuckled and twisted the knob toward the H until his squirming conquest calmed. She was going to spend a significant amount of time with her back pressed against cold tile; adjusting the water temperature was the least he could do.

Since her mission to eradicate _confusion_ had been foiled, Annalise let loose. She drank from his mouth like she was parched, and he let her. Usually he took the lead with their kisses, but he was busy pinning her up against the chilly shower wall, so for once she had free reign over his mouth.

As he guided his throbbing cock inside her, her lips faltered, leaving her panting heavily against his jaw. Using his body to secure her against the wall, he slipped his arms beneath her knees, effectively bending her in half. As he began pumping, the time that lapsed between Annalise's kisses lengthened and eventually all she could manage was to gasp and sporadically bite at his jaw and neck when he thrust particularly hard.

When her oral affections waned, Loki once more used his body to keep her against the wall as he grabbed a handful of her wet hair and pulled her head back so he could sip from her mouth himself. He could feel her throbbing harder and harder around him and knew she was close. There were few things more divine than making his soon-to-be-queen come as she screamed and quivered against his lips. Repositioning his arms so he supported her once more, he plundered her mouth as he snapped his hips against hers.

Ever since Loki pushed himself inside her, Annalise had been battling insanity. Her body did her no favors. How could she have a serious argument with this man in the morning only to have him fuck the living daylights out of her that night? He'd never take her seriously… But even though she knew in the long term she really, really needed to, she couldn't bring herself to care.

Briefly Loki pulled his mouth from hers.

"Come for me, little Queen," he crooned.

Immediately his lips returned to hers. Unable to control her volume a second longer, she began keening against his mouth, grateful that his lips muffled her moans. She let out a loud whine, wordlessly begging him to pound her faster, and, like the gracious ruler he was, he obliged.

As he coaxed her into exploding from inside, she screamed. Wave after wave of pleasure bombarded her as she fell completely boneless into her lover's arms. She tried to end the kiss so she could breathe, Loki was relentless as he sought his own pleasure. She could've sworn he started to growl as his thrusts became frenzied and uneven, stuttering violently against her as he erupted inside her.

As they recovered, Loki began lowering Annalise to her feet. To both of their surprise she whined and clung to his shoulders and buried her face against his neck.

He chuckled and wrapped her hair around his hand, using it to pull her back and look her in the eye.

"If you are going to stay up here, you will have to make yourself useful."

Still dazed, Annalise looked at him and blinked.

In rare form, the King laughed and hefted her weight to one arm, using his free hand to grab a bottle of shampoo. As if daring her to refuse him, he handed it to her.

Though her breasts in his face was nothing new, the familiarity of washing his hair _while he was looking at her_ was unnerving. She swallowed hard and squeezed a dollop of shampoo into her hand and rubbed her palms together. Very, very aware of the fact that he was still inside her, she tried to, in the most ladylike manner, flex her legs to give herself some kind of stability. Hooking her ankles behind him, he cupped a globe of her rear in one hand and splayed the palm of his other hand against her back.

Cautiously she sank her fingers into his hair. _What if she got shampoo in his eyes? Did that bother gods?_ When he grunted and blinked slowly, his lids falling halfway shut as he watched her, she grew bolder. She ran her hands through his wet strands, working up a foamy lather.

Several times he'd bragged of things he could see and hear and smell that she couldn't. _Did that mean he could feel things more intensely as well?_ Gently she raked her nails against his scalp, which set off a chain reaction. He groaned deep in his throat, which made her velvety walls clench around him, which made him moan even louder and stiffen inside her.

"Tilt back," she rasped, all business.

Loki smirked and did as she asked, closing his eyes as water cascaded over his hair and face. She leaned up and ran her fingers through his hair, ensuring water ran through everything evenly and that the shampoo rinsed out.

She gasped as she felt his mouth latch onto her nipple. Sternly she twisted, pulling it from between his lips.

"Stop that. I'm not finished. Give me the other bottle," she commanded.

She could feel him jerk inside her.

"Yes, my Lady," he purred, handing her the conditioner.

Once she'd massaged it into his hair, he made to tilt his head back once more when she stopped him.

When his eyes reopened and he quirked a brow, her cheeks flushed.

"It has to sit for a minute. It'll make your hair soft," she mumbled.

Even the evil King of the Puny Humans had to admit she was kind of cute.

His gaze never left hers, which was completely unnerving. It was a thousand times more intense than kissing. Whatever her next demand entailed, there would be a prohibited prolonged eye contact clause.

After a minute or so, she tried to swallow, her mouth dry.

"Okay."

Still smirking, he tilted his head back and allowed her to rinse his hair. When she was finished, he slowly dropped her to the ground, both of them sighing unhappily as he pulled out of her.

Half hard from her little scalp massage and feeling her wriggle over him as she worked, he stroked himself as he exited the shower.

"Do your shampoo and… the soft one. You have five minutes before I come and retrieve you myself. If it comes to that, you will not sit for a week, little peach."


	9. Losing My Head

"Come."

"Huh?"

"Come."

"No, I got that. Where are we going?" She wasn't going to bring up how he was speaking to her as if she were an animal. One issue at a time.

"A neutral location. The Avengers have requested a meeting."

"Wha—. Are you insane? You're _meeting_ with them? They tried to kill you twice!"

Annalise was standing before their closet, a stylish red dress in one hand and a classic skirt and blouse in the other. Both garments dropped to the floor as Loki stalked toward her and wrapped his hand around her slender throat.

"You know better than to question my decisions."

Angrily she grabbed at his arm and dug her nails into his skin.

"You know better than to make stupid choices," she retorted.

When the King raised his hand Annalise fought the instinct to flinch. He curled his shaking fingers into a tight fist and held it for several beats, then dropped his arm to his side. He laughed sharply.

"You would be wise not to anger your King so, my little Queen."

He crowded her, pressing her body against the wall with his. The pressure with which he caressed the vein in her neck could be described as tender, but the act itself was a threat. As he run his thumb along the faint blue line, his grip constricted.

"You purposefully test my patience; I will not tolerate your insubordinance."

Annalise stared unblinkingly at him, her eyes threatening to water.

"A Queen is her King's equal, your Highness," she rasped.

His eyes blazed as he considered the girl. He pinned her against a wall with hand at her throat and _still_ she goaded him.

"Though your size makes you appear insignificant, as my Queen you will complement me nicely."

She huffed and batted his hand away, which he permitted, then she stalked back to her crumpled dress. Gingerly she picked it up from the ground and flicked imaginary lint from the bodice.

"Is this satisfactory?" Not even Loki could misinterpret her tone as anything but sarcastic.

The King narrowed his eyes appraisingly at her and shooed her away from the wardrobe. With feigned disinterest he flicked through her outfits until he landed on an H-line moss colored dress. When he waved a hand, his armor enveloped him and he held the piece against the darker shades of green paneling. Satisfied that the colors corresponded, he snatched the red dress from her and handed her the green.

"Wear this."

She eyed the synched neckline warily.

"Loki, I can't wear a bra with this. I don't have anything strapless."

She caught sight of his lips widening into a grin as he turned away from her.

He ignored her complaint, of course, prompting her to mutter as she removed her clothes to shower.

Once dressed, she diffused her curls and pieced them apart with her fingers. Somehow her cosmetics, tools and products had found their way form Stuttgart to her bathroom in New York, and she applied a small amount of makeup. Loki tried to convince her to wear the red lipstick, but she adamantly refused and instead swiped a finger through a neutral colored cream blush and massaged it into her lips.

Though satisfied with her appearance, her stomach rolled when Loki offered his arm. As they walked to the car, several of Anna's charges gathered around the porte-cochère to see them off. She donned a confident smile and waved, though she felt nothing of the sort.

Loki received a call as they slid into the backseat of the sedan. Annalise stacked her forearms on the armrest and peered out the window. There was so much destruction. Buildings had been toppled, trees uprooted. There wasn't a human in sight. A lone Chitauri on an aircraft zipped past the car Annalise barely registered what it was. It was going in the direction of The City, opposite of where they were headed. _Were there people still trapped? Would Loki let her help them?_ She'd have to ask him once his call was finished.

The drive was no longer than thirty minutes, though when the car emptied in a hotel parking lot, Loki was still on the phone. He was arguing in some Slavic language that she couldn't identify. She glanced around. They had traveled far enough outside Loki's destruction zone that the area was functional.

Aside from a totaled SUV in the middle of the intersection, there was little to no chaos in the town. She caught a whiff of gasoline and turned in its direction. There was a line of cars two blocks long waiting to enter the station lot. Five armed Chitauri monitored the customers, making sure they only filled their vehicles. There was a pile of confiscated gas canisters piled in the corner near the car wash, likely taken to prevent extended travel.

Forcing herself to turn her back on the gas station, Loki's entourage shuffled her into the middle of the group. When she realized it was for the sake of protection, her stomach dropped. When Loki felt her press her warm body against his cool form he smirked down at her. To her surprise, he placed his hand on her back and guided her along with him. If she were taller, she was certain his hand would be inappropriately low on her backside, but lucky for her, his long arms didn't reach quite that far down.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw his armor magically slide over his body, helmet and all. She shivered despite herself. Her body was beginning to react to the sound of his heavy boots on the floor and the smell of leather in less that admirable ways, but she couldn't help it. He was the most powerful being on the planet. And—well, he wasn't hers. But she was fairly positive she was his.

The inside of the hotel was quiet. There were still several guests retreating to their rooms, but it looked as if the Avengers had ordered everyone out of the lobby. Thor, Fury and Romanov stood near the bar. Romanov and Fury drew their weapons as the group of blue-eyed SHIELD agents surrounding Loki and Annalise drew closer. Fury glared and audibly switched the safety off his gun. Thor looked as if he were about to roll his eyes at the human's petty attempt at dominance.

"That is far enough, brother," Thor boomed.

Loki chuckled and held his hands up in mock surrender.

" _Brother_. It is good to see you."

"Come home, Loki. Let the people of Midgard exist freely."

"Oh, Thor. Thor, Thor, Thor. You cannot possibly understand the responsibility with which I am burdened now that Earth is mine. The realm would fall into chaos were I to leave. The species would perish. Do you care so little for your Jane Foster?"

"Leave the humans alone, Loki. Undo the magic with which you have enchanted these agents and hand the human girl over to SHIELD."

Loki turned considered Annalise for a moment, running his thumb fondly over her lower lip.

"This human girl? Oh, brother, if only you knew what this little one could do. You will not take my queen from me. Humans are weak, but this one is strong. When I take her, when my little queen submits to me, I pump her full of Asgardian power. Pure energy, brother. She takes it so well."

Annalise felt her face flame, but kept her expression neutral. _What the hell was he talking about? He'd never done that before, had he?_

Racking her brain, she her stomach fluttered as she realized her eyesight had adjusted. She had attributed that to merely growing accustomed to life without contacts after Stuttgart. Was it possible she no longer needed them? Her eyes flickered around the room and to her surprise, she realized she _could_ read things far away. Had other things changed about her? She supposed she bruised less when Loki fucked her, but she had just assumed he'd become gentler.

Thor stared at her in disbelief.

"Loki, what have you done?"

Eyes narrowing in suspicion, the King suddenly pushed Annalise behind him, shielding her with his body.

"She is _mine_. You will not take my bride. She is the only human strong enough to carry my child."

Thor stepped forward but Loki held his ground.

"This is nonsense! Let the human leave."

Loki's lip curled in a snarl as he studied his brother. His green eyes blazed as he thought of an idea.

He turned to Annalise and cupped her jaw, watching her intently. His free hand roamed her body crudely in front of both audiences, openly groping her.

"Do you want to leave me, little peach?"

Her breath hitched and her chest tightened. _Did she?_

Her eyes snapped to Thor, then back at her king. _Loki was right. If he left, Earth would collapse into chaos. The Chitauri now had an international presence._ She thought back to the day Loki conquered Earth. _Loki alone could control his alien army. The Chitauri would destroy humanity given the chance._

"No, my King. I don't want to leave you," she said clearly.

As she spoke out, she felt a mixture of guilt… and pride. Guilty that she had betrayed her race and allied with a monster. Pride that the monster deemed her worthy of ruling by his side.

She didn't break Thor's gaze. Instead, she stood tall, aided by her three inch heels.

The God of Thunder shook his head sadly.

"I will direct no more violence at your team of miscreants if my brother returns to Asgard immediately. I have forgiven your transgressions and will allow you to leave peacefully. However, should our paths ever cross again, know that I will not be so kind."

All three SHIELD agents looked at one another as if communicating silently. While Fury and Thor seemed confident, Annalise caught Romanov's eyes staring at a blue-eyed Barton. Her heart sank for the woman, but she steeled herself. Loki would be furious if she asked him to be set free, especially in front of their enemies.

 _Their enemies?_ Her chest tightened. Since when were these people, these _heroes_ her foes?

It was then that a flash grenade went off, temporarily blinding them. Despite being surrounded by Loki's men, Annalise felt a hand grip her wrist tug her away from her King. She could hear him yelling furiously but the ringing in her ears was too intense to make out what he was saying. She was abruptly hauled fireman style over someone's shoulder and jostled as they ran with her. Frightened and angry, she beat her fists against her captor's back until she felt a sharp sting in her rear, then the chaos faded away.

x

Annalise awoke with a dry mouth and a fuzzy brain to the sound of an engine so loud it had to belong to an aircraft.

"Fear not, Lady Annalise."

 _Thor._

"He cannot hurt you anymore."

 _No._ She didn't care about getting hurt. Well, she did, but not at this exact point in time.

"Where are we? Turn around," her words were slow and slurred. Her brain felt like it was disconnected from her mouth. "You don't understand. He'll kill them. He'll think I went willingly with you! Please, just let me go," she pleaded groggily.

"Calm yourself, my Lady," he put a reassuring hand on her arm.

She clumsily brushed it off in irritation.

"How long have we been in the air?"

She could hear Thor's deep voice in the background as she inspected her surroundings, but she couldn't listen and examine the plane at the same time. The plane was tiny; there was nowhere to hide. She clenched her eyes shut in frustration which proved to be a bad idea. Opening them again took way too much effort, and her eyes felt dry and sandy. Sleepily she rubbed them.

"You have been sleeping for a little over an hour, my Lady. We are almost to Washington D. C."

"No, no, no," she muttered, shaking her head.

When she tried push herself into a sitting position, her hand flew to her mouth to keep from throwing up.

"What did you give me?"

"I apologize, I am not well versed in Midgardian pharmaceuticals," Thor's voice was thick with genuine regret.

 _Gross. No wonder Loki can't stand him._

Faintly she heard Romanov make an announcement about landing.

Thor delicately helped Annalise upright and strapped her into her seatbelt like a child. She clenched her fists when they touched down, a wave of nausea almost making her hurl.

Thor unbuckled her and scooped her into his arms. As they exited the plan, Romanov froze.

"Something isn't right."

Fury cocked his weapon and Thor gingerly set Annalise on the ground, before fixing his grip on Mjölnir.

Out of the corner of her eye, Annalise saw a line of Chitauri soldiers file onto the tarmac. Her chest simultaneously fluttered with hope and dread.

Annalise hung back against the plane as the three Avengers stalked forward, ready to attack. She gasped and stumbled to her knees when four Lokis appeared before the group, each aiming the blue-tipped spear at the troupe of "superheroes." Already wobbly on her feet from the drugs, she slipped off her heels as she stood, ready to run as the first shot was fired. The Chitauri chattered at one other in their own language before squeezing a few shots off at Thor, sending him flying in her direction.

Her shriek was muffled by a hand over her mouth. Barton whirled her around and held his finger to his lips. Brows furrowed in fear, she nodded to demonstrate that she understood. Thor grunted as Barton led her further from the SHIELD plane. When he made eye contact with Annalise, she desperately shook her head, begging him not to give her away. Thor's eyes fell onto the appearing jet mere feet from where he lay as an agent lowered the ramp. Barton and Annalise sprinted to the safety of the plane. Through a small window, she caught sight of Thor, watching her quietly with his head tilted to the side. There was nothing the god could do. Though hypnotized, the agents were human and wouldn't survive a plane crash, let alone Annalise. With a sigh he turned and began summoning lightning bolts and hurling them at the aliens.

Barton sat her down and took her vitals (which apparently he knew how to do). She heard a commotion from the cockpit as a gargantuan shadow fell over the blood pressure cuff the agent had around her bicep.

"Her blood pressure is a little low from the sedative, your Highness, but otherwise she is healthy."

"Good. Leave us."

Annalise's face began to crumple as Barton walked away.

Loki looked at her in horror, his brows raised and mouth opened in shock. What the hell was she doing?

The poor girl bowed her head.

"I was good," she murmured, big, fat tears dribbling down her cheeks. "I was, I promise. I didn't tell them anything."

Loki began to relax. His queen simply needed coddling.

"Shhh, little peach," he crooned as he knelt next to her, checking her body for wounds. He frowned at her scraped knees, but was glad to see that was the extent of the damage done to his queen. Soothingly he brushed her hair from her face, as he remembered Frigga doing for him when he was a child. Why would he feel compelled to treat Annalise as such? With affection? He shook off the thought.

Sure that she was safe, his expression of relief fell to one of pure rage.

"I will kill them all. I will tear them limb from literal limb. They tried to take what is mine," he growled.

Goosebumps rose on Annalise's arms and the back of her neck. Never had she heard Loki speak in that tone. It was absolutely murderous.

When she grasped his forearm, Loki startled.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Sorry for making him jump, sorry for being taken. Sorry for not being stronger.

"Shhh, you're safe again."

Loki picked her up and carried her to the all-too-familiar room they had shared on the flight from Germany to New York. Her stomach fluttered at the neatly made bed, even more so when Loki peeled down the comforter and sat her on the mattress.

The King stood awkwardly, looking at her skinned knees as she sat.

Annalise tried yelling for Barton, but her throat and mouth were still dry from the drugs.

With a huff Loki stalked out of the room and returned thirty seconds later with a confused blue-eyed agent.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Is there a first aid kit on the plane?"

Without a word he nodded and stepped out of the room. A minute later reentered, bearing a white plastic box with a big red cross on it.

"Thank you," she murmured sleepily. She was delirious. She had been kidnapped from being kidnapped, then returned to her rightful(?) place, and drugged along the way. Loki intercepted the box from Barton and he knelt to dress Annalise's knees.

"That will be all," Loki said tersely.

Annalise rolled her eyes and reached to take the box from Loki.

"Tell me what to do."

Gently she walked him through cleaning and bandaging her knees. She tried not to make a show out of being too gracious; she didn't want to draw more attention to his act of kindness in fear that she'd prevent him from ever doing something for anyone else ever again.

When he rose to leave, Annalise hesitated before bravely speaking out.

"Stay? Please?"


	10. Baby Can't You See

When she woke, Annalise's head was in Loki's lap and his fingers were still buried in her chestnut hair. His eyes were closed but with Loki, who knew if he was faking or not. She exaggeratedly yawned and stretched, watching his face as his eyes cracked open.

She sighed with contentment and smiled up at him coyly, "Morning,"

As her brain restarted, memories from the previous day flooded her. Loki must have a) undressed her and b) pulled the sheet over her. No longer bothering with modesty, she pushed the covers down to examine her damaged knees. When she pulled them to her chest, she ran an unsure finger over the surface of her skin. It was completely smooth. Granted, the scrapes hadn't been horribly deep, but it wasn't humanly possible to heal so quickly. _Humanly._ Yesterday he mentioned compromising her humanity. She pushed herself up off his lap in anger and smacked his chest.

"You… I don't even have words for you!"

Loki blinked at her as though she were rapidly speaking in a foreign tongue.

"Am I pregnant? Did you already get me pregnant?"

She smacked him again, and despite the layer of fabric between her hand and his chest, the _thwack_ was very satisfying.

"I can't believe you! I had a life back in Germany. I have things—people—I'm responsible to! I am _not_ playing World Domination with you anymore. I quit. Undo whatever it is that you... what did you call it yesterday? Whatever it is that you _pumped_ into me. Undo it. Now."

She knew she was overreacting, that she wasn't going anywhere or doing anything he didn't approve of. But she had to at least pretend she had some freedom because apparently this marriage was happening, as was this baby.

Loki scrubbed his face with his hand. He looked genuinely tired. Extra pale with dark smudges under his eyes.

She felt a pang of anxiety at his appearance, which only served to piss her off. She bit her tongue to keep from asking why he looked so haggard. Heaven forbid it was from coming up with some half-cocked rescue plan for her considering that he was the one who _lost_ her in the first place.

"Say something," she urged. It almost sounded like an apologetic whine.

Loki's laugh was more a single huff of air, but his exhausted smirk made up for his lack of joviality.

"What do you want me to say, darling? That I will let you go? That I will not hurt the people you have rescued? That without my assistance you will not die from the child inside you?"

She baulked.

"So I am pregnant."

"Most likely, unless you have been using anti-contraception measures."

Annalise rolled her eyes.

"No, I didn't think to pack birth control when you kidnapped me."

Loki rolled his eyes right back at her.

She groaned and fell back against the bed, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms.

"When will we know for sure? Will a normal pregnancy test work?"

Loki seemed to stiffen at the word "we." He glanced down at her with one brow raised.

"I admit I do not know."

For Loki to admit his ignorance was kind of a huge deal. Unfortunately, Annalise was so livid she was in no place to appreciate it.

Loki was also rather distracted. His gaze raked over her nude form, green eyes lingering on her breasts and nipples which had, of course, hardened at the cool temperature of the room.

"Great," she muttered.

Her pouting was rudely interrupted when Loki grabbed her hip, effectively flipping her onto her belly. She yelped, squirming to fight him off until he grabbed a fist of her hair. Her shoulders tensed as he controlled her, yanking her head back at an uncomfortable angle and forcing her to look at him.

"Great indeed, my little Queen. Now, behave. It is time I give you your daily _pumping,_ as I believe we have now officially termed it."

He moved to his knees and crawled behind her, digging his fingers into her hips and hoisting her rear in the air.

In the midst of sputtering in surprise and disdain, Annalise found herself on all fours. A bedroom on a plane, even a luxurious one, is rather small. There was no nightstand and the mattress itself was a full at best, which Annalise capitalized on when she attempted to mule-kick Loki. He caught her first ankle, losing his grip on her hair in the process, but she aimed her second kick at the wall and propelled herself off of the bed and onto the floor.

Landing with an oomph, she scrambled to her feet and fled through the door, still naked, of course. Her hand accidentally collided with an agent's full cup of coffee that clattered to the floor with a splash as she desperately sought a place to hide.

Loki, at least dressed in dignified trousers, stalked out of the bedroom after her with a wicked gleam in his eye.

"You want to play, little peach?"

Agents scuttled up the aisle of the plane, stuffing themselves three deep into the cockpit as their master pursued his Queen.

Annalise followed the blue eyed men but the door was slammed in her face. She banged and heaved so hard at the handle she almost fell backwards when her hand slipped. In the midst of losing her balance, her charming King caught her in his arms and slammed her right back up against that damn closed door.

He clucked his tongue.

"You insist on acting as though you do not want this, Annalise, and every. Single. Time. Your body betrays you. Why will this time be any different?"

She fought the urge to spit in his face. She was furious, mostly because he was right. The second his hands were on her, she completely forfeited control and deferred to him one hundred percent. Ish.

Brutishly he grabbed her wrist and spun her around so she faced the door, causing her to cry out as he wrenched her arm behind her back.

"So now, little one, I am faced with a dilemma," he growled against her ear. "Well, actually, there is no dilemma, I suppose," Loki chuckled. He nipped at her earlobe, immediately following with a hard suckle.

"The problem is not mine, it is yours. How will I punish you? You know that, without a doubt, the entire plane will be privy to your unfortunate misbehavior. But how much of you do I want to share with them?"

When he adjusted her arm she hissed, but refused to utter noise beyond that.

"Do I take you in front of them? Do I let them fuck you?"

Annalise had been struggling idly, shifting her weight back and forth between her feet and foolishly trying to reach back and scratch at him with her free hand. Upon his threat she froze immediately.

"Ah, I have your attention, I see," he purred.

For the first time that night, Anna let a whimper slip from between her lips.

"Please," she whispered.

"Please, what, my peach?"

"Please don't share me," she swallowed hard, "With them. My King. Please."

Loki pursed his lips and shook his head sadly while grinding his half hard cock against her bare rear.

"I have to set an example. I cannot simply let you get away with such gross disobedience. You know that you are mine to use at my pleasure, yet you fled from me. That is unacceptable, pet."

Annalise let her head fall forward, resting the side of her face against the cockpit door. Resignedly she closed her eyes and nodded.

"I understand," she murmured.

Loki immediately let her arm go free, but when she tried to turn around he smacked her rear, earning an indignant squeal.

"Brace both palms against the door, dearest, and arch your back."

Her hands briefly balled in into fists in frustration before she opened them, splaying her fingers above her head against the door. She obediently stuck her ass out and even preemptively spread her thighs for him, planting her feet a shoulders width apart.

"There's a good girl," Loki crooned, running his hand appreciatively over each of her cheeks, spending an extra moment massaging the pink handprint he'd left.

She knew she was fighting a losing battle… if she was even fighting at all anymore. Her breath hitched when Loki's hand snaked slowly around her hip and took full advantage of her spread legs. At a torturously slow pace he traced his finger along her pelvic bone, all the way down to the satiny smooth skin of her pussy.

"How good are you, Annalise?"

The girl wriggled her hips, only to be stopped with another sharp slap to her rump. Loki's hand continued its quest, slowly parting her slit and dragging his finger down the center. To her usual mortification, Anna was dripping for him. She always was. The man was sex and power on wheels, and he continued to choose and pursue her as his queen time and time again. How can a girl not get turned on by that?

"Mmmmmmm. Very, _very_ good, little peach. You are such a little whore for your King, are you not?"

Annalise whimpered and shook her head. No, she would not encourage him to use such derogatory language towards her. At least, not until he dipped his finger into her core and spread her own wetness on her throbbing little clit and began rubbing in tiny, fluid little circles.

"Are you not? Are you a little whore for your King? Don't make me ask myself again."

Once more he slid his finger between her folds, this time taking the time to properly thrust it inside of her several times before returning it, wet with her slick, to her little jewel.

Truly, the girl had no chance. Whatsoever. And deep down, she knew that. But admitting defeat to this man was infuriating. But the pleasure he gave her outmanned the fury ten to one.

"I'm your whore, my King," Annalise whispered, hiding her face against her outstretched arm.

"Ah, ah. Tell me properly."

Swallowing, she tilted her head to the side so she was able to speak over her shoulder.

"I'm your whore, my King," she repeated. Her voice was still soft, but this time it was at least audible.

Loki grunted in delight as he planted a foot on the outside of each of hers. The combination of teasing his little conquest as well as her admission had hardened his cock enough for him to thrust into her roughly.

The girl yelped, once again burying her face against her arm in shame.

"Little girl, I have had enough. Let me hear you or you will truly regret your disobedience."

With a deep breath, Annalise separated her mouth from her arm and hung her head in disgrace.

When Loki pulled out of her, he did so with the patience only a god could possess. His cock dragged against her inner walls, making her shiver as he pulled against that spot inside her that made her see stars. Then, in traditional Loki style, he slammed back into her, causing her to stumble forward. He planted his hands on the swell of her hips and began to snap his, each jolt making them both moan.

Loki seemed especially pleased with the carnal slap of skin on skin. The noise had nowhere to go in the small aircraft, which was containing the sound well enough that the King developed a lovely rhythm.

He leaned forward, bracing one of his own hands over hers to hold her in place as he slipped the other between her legs. The position draped him over her back so she was able to feel every roll of his slender hips against her. When his fingers sought out her clit, he grunted in satisfaction as he felt her yielding to him so wonderfully.

"My good little whore," he whispered against her ear.

Annalise was absolutely, horribly torn. Did she thrust her hips forward, grinding her clit against his hand? Or did she try to push herself back on his cock in a desperate attempt to fuck him back. In the end, the only viable option was to do both. Her hips jerked forward, her needy clit receiving only the tiniest bit of a reprieve as his finger grazed it, followed by a thrust backwards, earning a satisfied grunt from her king.

She continued this ridiculous act until Loki threatened to stop rubbing her clit if she didn't hold still. With a highly pitched whimper she obliged, her hands shaking against the wall with effort.

When her moans turned to keening cries, Loki doubled his efforts. His free hand went from her hip to her breast as he practically lay himself atop her.

"Please, please, please," she chanted. Gone was her pride and in its place was pure desire and need.

"As my Lady wishes," Loki growled.

He powered into her, and that combined with his expert hand on her clit, set her on fire. She cried out, no longer caring that Loki's staff was on the other side of the door he had her pressed against. Instead, she let out a string of expletives. Loki came shortly after her, rolling and rutting his hips against her like an animal until he properly _pumped_ his future wife full of his Asgardian come.


	11. I Love What You Do

Everyone who was anyone received an invitation to Annalise and Loki's wedding which was announced with only several days' notice. The day before nuptials were to take place, sheikhs, kings, duchesses, presidents and prime ministers from all over the world flocked to Carrollcliffe to bear witness to the marriage of their new godly ruler to a human woman.

Though pleased with the attention, Loki stood aloof atop the double staircase, watching the plebeians putter about the floor below. Guests arrived, but Loki bothered himself with no one. He made no attempt to socialize, though Annalise did threaten to flush her 15 carat cushion-cut diamond ring, centered between two generously sized emeralds, down the toilet if he didn't at least come to dinner.

As he was educated on the role the rings play in marriage, Loki initially insisted on a bigger diamond to better show his ownership of Annalise, but she pointed out that if the rock were any larger she'd have a hard time lifting her hand for daily tasks, let alone performing her queenly duties.

Her charges participated that evening as castle staff, dressed in matching uniforms and providing a smooth and pleasant night for the guests and the somewhat happy couple. They escorted visitors to and from their rooms and acted as a concierge, receiving clothing purchases and gift orders from the surrounding areas as people arrived after cross-continental flights on relatively short notice.

The evening before the wedding, it was Annalise who wined and dined on behalf of the couple, putting on a happy face for her public. She spent the night sipping champagne and tottling around on obscenely high heels. Without them, she was unable to see over the crowd of guests and it was important that she greet each one individually, which officially made the evening a Louboutin Night.

To Loki's dismay, his fiancé refused to don an emerald gown and instead insisted on wearing a cream charmeuse dress that flared at the waist. This was most problematic of all as the way it draped over her rear was particularly becoming, and her King spent a large amount of time trying to kidnap her from the floor for debauchment.

x

When the last of the guests had retired for the night, Annalise collapsed in her chair at the head table. Her heavy lids slid closed and she rubbed her temples, attempting to sooth herself when a pair of cool hands gripped her shoulders, causing her to startle.

"Shhh, little queen."

Immediately she relaxed against Loki's deft fingers, which moved confidently about her neck, shoulders and upper back, kneading her tight muscles. As she relaxed she realized he was running his fingers beneath the neckline of her dress. She went to bat his hands away but froze when he gripped either side of her neck firmly between his thumb and forefinger.

"Ah, ah."

With a huff she returned her hands to the table before her, toying with the place setting as her betrothed felt her up. He pulled his hands from beneath her dress and stroked her shoulders.

"Stand. Let me see all of you."

She rose, wobbly on her feet, and turned to him. Still irritated, she glared up at him, though his massage had dissolved some of her ire.

He tucked a stray tendril into her styled hair, then ran his hand down the side of her neck. He traced her collarbones with a freezing fingertip, intentionally making her shiver and her nipples harden. Removing his hand from her, he swirled his finger, indicating he wanted her to turn. Rolling her eyes, she obeyed. She was fairly certain she heard him growl when she showed off her backside. She swore by the way he looked at her that he could see through her dress.

Loki sighed heavily, as if deciding which part of her body pleased him most was a burdensome task. His gaze dragged down her legs and the corner of his mouth quirked into a smirk.

"Your Midgardian shoe style is so strange and impractical. But, I must admit, these _things_ ," he pointed at her Louboutin-clad feet, "make your legs even more appealing when you are otherwise nude. They also hinder escape."

The second he uttered the word "nude" Annalise put up an admirable fight, swatting at Loki and trying to use her ring as a weapon. Historically, when the King alluded to her nudity, she was shortly thereafter divested of clothing by force.

Loki snickered and backed her against the table, then lifted the girl so she sat on the edge. The room spun, and she realized idly that she'd consumed a steady flow of champagne, but hadn't eaten much that night.

Loki considered her with his brows slightly furrowed in concentration. As he advanced, he warned her.

"Be a good girl."

Annalise's eyes were so narrowed in anger that she could hardly see, which was mostly why she was caught off guard when Loki rucked her skirt up around her waist.

"Stop that!"

His laughter only annoyed her further, causing her to clumsily swing at him from her seated position. When she lost her balance, she almost toppled to the floor, but Loki caught her waist. He kept his hands on her as he manipulated her legs apart and then situated himself between her thighs, despite her attempts to kick him.

"Careful little peach. Midgardian drink makes you so saucy."

Like a child, she mimicked him, which only made his laughter louder.

"So saucy," she agreed, scrutinizing him as she leaned back on the table surface, supporting herself with her elbows. Though tipsy, she was quite certain she didn't want her face that close to Loki's. Dangerous things happened when his lips orbited hers.

As she reclined, Loki followed her throat with his hand, wrapping it around her and squeezing gently.

"Stay. No moving."

After several moments of tugging at his wrist, she realized all he wanted was agreement. She sighed.

"Yes, my King."

Loki's hand moved from her neck to her hair as he pulled pins from her styled locks. He shook it out over her shoulders, tucking a piece behind her ear before leaning forward and tilting her chin upwards.

"You have been a very good girl tonight."

He leaned in and kissed her languidly, completely seducing the poor girl with his mouth, so much so that she boldly held his face in her shaking hands.

Annalise whimpered softly when he pulled away, stealing one more quick kiss before sinking to his knees.

When the Loki knelt on the floor, her jaw dropped. Not only because of the act she was pretty sure it implied he was about to perform, but because this was _Loki on his knees._

"What are you doing?"

With a smirk he smoothed his palms up and down the tops of her thighs, making her shiver.

"Rewarding good behavior, dearest."

She flushed, both flattered that he was pleased and irritated that he was so obnoxiously patronizing.

"Loki, you don't—Aaahhh," she gasped as she felt his lips press against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs.

"Darling, I don't _have_ to do anything _ever_."

His words went mostly unheard. Her head tipped back as he licked and suckled her sensitive skin, surely marking the delicate skin between her legs. Chest heaving, Annalise closed her eyes, completely uncertain what brought this side of Loki on, but also not issuing a complaint.

Slowly he made his way to the edge of her panties. When she began squirming, he slapped the side of her thigh to still her, which was remarkably effective. It did not, however, keep her from whimpering, especially when he nuzzled against the wet fabric.

"Always so ready for me," he crooned against her skin.

The King slowly pressed the flat of his tongue along the dark stain of moisture, pulsing the muscle against her through the undergarment and making her buck her hips.

"Loki," she whined.

Again he slapped her thigh.

"Behave or I'll take you over my knee again."

Though he couldn't see her nod, the pathetic whimper she emitted was confirmation enough. Delicately he ran his finger beneath the elastic and pushed her panties to the side. He inhaled her sweet scent deeply, groaning and palming himself through his trousers as he did so.

Had the man between her legs been anyone but Loki, she would've deemed the single lick he gave her as shy. But she knew better than that. Her King didn't comprehend a word like _shy_. Again lapped at her, this time he took his time, making sure to dip into her core and suckling gently against her clit.

"Fuck."

She could feel him smile against her pussy. He loved reducing his eloquent little queen to obscenities.

A scratching noise briefly distracted Loki. He pulled away from her and rose on his knees, and realized the sound he heard were her nails digging into the surface of the table.

"Do you need something, little peach?"

"Please," she begged.

As she didn't give him a definite answer, he ignored her and resumed his oral assault of her pussy. He nipped and sucked at her folds, taking moments to slowly fuck her with her tongue and suck at her exquisitely hard clit.

Her fingers buried themselves in his hair and he grunted as she yanked him upwards. Though he could've easily overpowered her, the raised his head and looked at her expectantly.

"Fuck me. _Please_."

"Darling, what do you think I'm doing?"

"No, the other way."

He really, genuinely tried not to smirk, but he couldn't help it.

"What other way?"

"With your cock," she whispered, her face flaming.

"Good girls _ask for what they need."_

"Loki, _please._ "

The man sighed with an air of disappointment and returned his mouth to her cunt.

"Please!"

He growled as she disrupted his debauchery, and reluctantly pulled away.

"You will tell me what you need or you will stop speaking."

"Fuck me. With your cock," she whimpered.

Loki's smile was absolutely lascivious.

"As my Lady requests."

When he rose she surged forward and clawed at his belt. He enjoyed watching her desperate struggle and chose not to use magic to divest himself of his troublesome pants. She was working herself into a tizzy pulling at his buttons and zipper, and in an act to protect his swelling delicate bits, Loki took over and his trousers dropped around his ankles.

Immediately Annalise squirmed, trying to lower herself to the floor. Her head was spinning and she was mildly intoxicated, but her brain clearly conveyed the importance of wrapping her lips around his cock.

Loki's hand shot out and wound itself into her hair and he held her in place.

"You are negating all of your good behavior," he growled, "And I don't have the patience to give you a spanking."

When she glanced up at him, her eyes were glassy. Loki snuck a hand beneath her chin and tipped it upwards to capture her lips.

 _She could taste herself on him._ With a whimper she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself to him. Annalise hitched a leg over his hip, opening her throbbing core to him and wantonly rubbing herself against him.

He'd had enough of his queen's insubordination. She forgot who was in charge. Disappearing his pants from around his ankles, Loki grabbed Anna's shoulders with a snarl and pulled her from the table with enough force that, had he not wrapped a hand around her bicep, she would've gone sprawling.

Pushing her in front of him, he herded her to the end of the table and chose the left-hand corner to press her against. He lifted Annalise, forcing her on her tiptoes as he centered her core over the blunt edge of the wood. His hands slid to her hips while the girl's own arms stretched out before her, palms flat against the surface as she fought to balance.

"If you're so eager to come, then come," he purred in her ear.

Annalise squirmed against his grasp, which also happened to rub her throbbing clit against the surface of the table, causing her to moan. Loki held her just high enough that he kept the majority of the girl's weight from grinding her clit uncomfortably against the table. Instead, he held her elevated _just so_ and when she rocked her hips, she got just enough stimulation to drive her crazy.

Naturally, she bucked against the table, Loki's hard length pressing into her back as he guided her forward rhythmically. Annalise cursed and let her head fall back against the King's shoulder, panting and emitting little feminine grunts as she rode the same table they had dined at only hours earlier.

"Loki, fuck me," she pleaded, " _Please_."

She felt the chuckle rumble from his chest.

"Oh, no, dearest. You're going to cum for me before I bring my cock anywhere near that needy little pussy of yours, my greedy girl."

His words went mostly unheard as he rolled his hips against hers, urging her forward at a swifter pace. She had no leverage, as Loki still had her balanced on the balls of her feet, so aside from her own frantic bucking, she had to rely mostly on her King to find completion. The pressure between her legs was unbearable and her high whine transitioned straight into keening nonsense, a sign that she was on the edge.

"Come for me, little peach," Loki growled against her ear.

Her lids fluttered shut and her back arched, her hips desperately thrusting her clit against the corner of the table with no care as to rhythm. Her cry echoed throughout the great hall, but she was too busy climaxing to pay any mind to her volume levels. Though she would've very much preferred to come around his cock, she had to admit that the throbbing, pulsing contractions of her cunt did feel wonderful.

And dirty.

Loki pulled her back a few inches and set her gently on her feet, holding her elbows should she lose her balance.

"There we are. Are you ready to listen?"

"I'll be good," she whispered, panting. "I promise."

With a satisfied smirk Loki lifted her onto their table. Going forward, the table would always be _theirs_ : The table he made her fuck when she was too aroused to obey him properly.

Loki batted her legs apart and Annalise felt her thighs fall open, leaving her perfectly displayed. He took a small step back, admiring her flushed pussy peeking out from where he had pushed her panties to the side.

Roughly he tore the offending garment from her and tossed the ruined lace to the floor. Loki gave his hard cock a few pumps before closing in on Annalise. Her eyes were still hooded and sleepy from her orgasm, and though they fluttered shut when he pressed himself inside her, he knew she was very, very much conscious.

When the girl started to recline, Loki grabbed the back of her neck and clucked his tongue.

"No. You will show me every expression having my cock in you inspires."

Dreamily she nodded, fighting to keep her eyes open as he slowly pumped his hips.

"Loki," she sighed.

"What is it that you want now, darling?"

"Confuse me," she slurred from equal parts alcohol and post-orgasm haze.

It took him a moment to realize what she was requesting, but when he did, he humored her with a sly smile. Hungrily he attacked her mouth, massaging her lips with his. He yielded when Annalise pawed at the back of his neck, pulling him down and slipping her hands against either side of his face. Insistently she ran her tongue along the seam of his mouth, and with a chuckle he granted her access. She licked at his lower lip and ran her tongue along his teeth, eliciting a groan of surprise from the normally sex-poised King.

The fingers of one hand buried themselves in her auburn hair and the other pulled at her thigh, lifting her knee as he pulled her shoe from her foot. He positioned her so that the bottom of her foot was flat against the table, providing the girl with more stability and him more freedom to run his hands over her body, grasping her differently each time he wanted to deepen the kiss or fuck her harder.

The sweaty couple pulled apart briefly, panting and gasping for air. Without the distraction of her mouth against his, Loki was able to properly piston his hips against her, his pelvis hitting her already oversensitive clit. Annalise's cunt fluttered around him as she came closer. He latched his mouth to hers once more, eager to feel her come against his mouth.

Her cries echoed throughout the room, reminding her time and time again of how wonton her soon-to-be husband made her, but she didn't care. No one else fucked her like he did. Something was winding in her lower belly like a toy, and of their own volition her hips began bucking up against his as her vision went white. She screamed against his mouth, as her muscles clenched around him, causing him to jackhammer against her until he too came, coating her walls with his thick seed.

Annalise slumped against her King which earned her another snicker. She sleepily glared at him and weakly smacked at his chest. He caught her hand and in an uncharacteristic moment of tenderness, pressed a kiss to her palm.

Completely disregarding his partial nudity, Loki scooped his bride up off the table and began walking to the door. She fussed until he allowed her to right her dress and then she bullied him into putting his trousers back on. He was much more amiable after an orgasm.

x

The day of the wedding was absolute chaos. And not just Midgardian wedding chaos. This was Loki chaos. The King had provided the wedding planner three day to prepare once it was confirmed that Annalise was pregnant, and the expecting mother was fairly certain the poor woman hadn't slept since receiving Loki's orders.

Her dress arrived the evening prior. It was an ivory chiffon piece decorated with beaded gold brocade on her shoulders and waist. The mermaid style skirt was foiled with gold flowers.

Loki, of course, wore his regal combat armor. Annalise, though hesitant to stroke his ego, repeatedly told him how becoming he looked in a tux, but there were some battles she just couldn't win.

As to not clash with his highness' wardrobe, the wedding colors (Yes, colors. More than two.) were an array of brilliant greens, from emerald to rich moss and everything in between. The green was accented with a soft, creamy ivory and hints of gold that complemented Anna's dress.

The floral arrangements were simply breathtaking. It took an hour and a half for the petrified florist to cart all of her supplies into Carrollcliffe. Loki nearly intervened when she refused the help of Loki's "brutish" agents, but Annalise quickly distracted the King and the poor woman was left in peace with her flowers.

During hair and makeup, Annalise was forced to chase Loki from the room. He aggravated the makeup artist and the hair stylist with his constant badgering and critiquing to the point that they threatened to leave if he wasn't removed from the room. Despite threatening their lives, Annalise's glares and murmured threats of there being hell to pay shooed him from the room.

Before the wedding, Annalise and Loki made their vows in private. Loki made a face at performing traditional vows and announced that they would adjust the tradition to suit their situation. When he announced that one of his conditions was that she bear him an heir, Annalise declared that they would, in face, very much be doing their vows in private.

"I, Annalise of Midgard," she made a face at the strange title, "vow to obey and rule alongside you, my King, and to bear your heirs."

His brows rose suspiciously when she paused, but relaxed as she swore loyalty. With a triumphant smile, Loki rattled his off.

"I, Loki of Asgard, vow not to harm you or your human pets, and to try to treat you like an equal."

 _That's as good as it's going to get._

When they were finished, Annalise nodded and Loki's SHIELD agents escorted him to the head of the great hall, while Barton remained to walk her down the aisle. The media presence alone was insane, not to mention the array of celebrities and important guests. Loki didn't understand the point of inviting famous movie stars and singers, but when Annalise explained that more pictures of their wedding would circulate if high profile people were in them, he eventually agreed.

Even several Avengers made a tentative appearance. Loki granted Thor actual permission (at Annalise's insistence). She presumed Dr. Banner was there as a safety precaution, but Thor actually looked happy to see his brother in a less horrible mood than was typical, despite being bossed around by the puny human he was engaged to marry. Perhaps the Midgardian girl could tame him?

The ceremony itself was brief. Neither Loki nor Annalise had any interest in dragging it out. The formal exchanging of the rings took up the majority of the small time spent in the Great Hall.

Once pronounced husband and wife, Annalise and Loki walked arm in arm from the Great Hall when a slender, confident blonde with almond shaped eyes approached Loki and put a grabbed his hand with hers.

"Congratulations, Your Highness," she purred. "You may have heard of me, I'm—."

"Yes, thank you Taylor," Annalise interrupted with a cocked brow, daring the _waif_ to try and charm Loki. "Unfortunately my husband and I are needed in the banquet hall, thank you so much for coming!"

Although the singer was taller than Annalise, the little spitfire shot her a fearless glare and, with a practiced swish of her hair, turned her back on the speechless starlet.

She could hear the blonde woman sputtering behind her, but Annalise paid her no mind.

As they ate, gifts were bestowed before the entire crowd of dignitaries and

The priceless gifts the newlyweds received were obscene; Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe gave the couple diamond mines, India and Pakistan collectively offered the Taj Mahal, Spain gave them Ibiza, France gifted Versailles, the United States presented them with the key to the Waldorf in New York City and plans to rebuild it to as a palace. Annalise graciously thanked each and every guest (even the blonde) for coming and introduced them all to her new husband. After the receiving the first fifty guests, his wife had coaxed enough alcohol into the King that Loki was amicable. She even caught him laughing on several occasions.

Everything blurred together once the clock hit midnight. Loki got handsy, the guests became rowdy and Annalise couldn't keep her eyes open. Her dress, though stunning, was uncomfortable, her feet ached and her ears hurt from the pea sized emeralds her King had gifted her. The way Loki squirmed implied he was equally interested in getting out of his armor, though she had to admit it made him look the part of world ruler. While Thor wore a silly cape, Loki wore a series of plates and straps and fastenings that created a far more sophisticated suit of armor.


	12. It's Taking Over Me

Loki set Annalise on her feet and walked to the window to draw the blinds. Evidently he wasn't interested in an early sunrise viewing. As she watched him, his queen pulled her earrings from her tender ears and set them in a jewelry dish on the bureau.

She held her hand out and studied her rings. Considering she had nothing to do with selecting them, she was quite pleased. It was so odd to see the diamond glittering from her ring finger. Her heart fluttered uncomfortably and she put her hand on her chest in alarm. _Too much emotion_. She was tired. It was time for bed. Why did tonight feel so different than all the other nights she'd spend with him? Annalise fumbled with the side zipper but got now where. She turned to her husband.

"Will you unzip me?"

Her king considered her silently, pausing for a long moment before nodding and obliging her. Silently Loki dug for the zipper and dragged it down her side. The god pushed the sleeves down her arms and helped his queen free of the dress. Loki had magicked away her panties sometime during the reception, and she found herself very much nude.

A sporadic wave of self-consciousness rolled over her as Loki leered openly. She strode back to the chest of drawers and dug for something to sleep in. Annalise pulled out the first piece she could find, which was, of course, a rather revealing babydoll. Better than nothing. She slipped it on and pulled open other drawers. She dug for a pair of panties, but caught Loki advancing from the corner of her eye. Undergarments suddenly became far less important than escaping to prepare herself for bed. Search abandoned, she skittered to the master bathroom and went to close the door, only to have it forced back opened by Loki.

The King smirked at her and waved his hand, disappearing his armor in favor of pajama pants that hung low on his hips.

"Go on," he urged her onto the cold bathroom tile.

Annalise cleared her dry throat and primly went about getting ready for bed. When they first moved in, she claimed the far sink. The girl reached beneath the counter and dragged her stepstool out and mounted it. She caught the corner of Loki's mouth twitching in her peripheral vision.  
"You're welcome to lower it, you know."

Upon settling in, Loki had raised the sinks a good twelve inches to accommodate his seven-foot frame. The granite that should've hit her belly hit her chest when she went to brush her teeth. Thus: The stepstool.

She sighed and watched him wearily. Though he enjoyed his unnecessary morning showers and rituals, at night Loki was often too irritable to bother with human hygiene practices. He had no need for tooth brushing or showering and often went to rest without them.

With a sigh, Annalise looked in the mirror. The little queen felt around her hair for pins and while she did so, Loki sidled up next to her and began brushing his teeth. She paused, close to dropping her jaw in both surprise and indignation as she watched him. He didn't brush his teeth. They cleaned themselves, or something. What was he doing? She caught herself and resumed taking down her hair. After several minutes of pin removal, her triceps ached. She dropped her arms, breathed in deeply and rubbed her eyes. There were far worse things than going to sleep with a few stray pins in your hair.

Abandoning her search, she fumbled for her toothbrush and paste and began cleaning her teeth. Her eyes must have shut because she was startled when she felt foreign hands in her hair. Loki steadied her when she jerked, chuckling as he resumed his bobby-pin removal. His fingers roamed her scalp and made her shiver. She was practically naked and he was flush against her back; There was no way to hide her breach of unaffectedness. The king ran his hands through her hair one last time, satisfied that those blasted little devices were out of her locks. He liked it much better down and flowing over her bare shoulders.

Shaken from her stupor, the girl cleared her throat and continued with her teeth. Annalise spit in the sink, wiped her mouth and eyed him, lids narrowed. Neither said a word as he returned to his station. When Annalise grabbed her cleanser and squeezed some into her hand, Loki held out his, clearly expecting her to hand the bottle to him.

"What are you doing?"

"What are _you_ doing, little peach?"

"Getting ready for bed."

"Then that is what I am doing as well."

She closed her eyes and counted to ten, inhaling deeply, then breathing out through her nose. The calming technique did nothing to soothe her exasperation.

"You are so irritating!"

She felt like a child, but he was acting like one. Fire with fire, etc.

"I assure you, I could do far worse."

"And I assure you I will kick you out of this bedroom. You don't even lay down half the time. You just watch me sleep!"

Loki chuckled and crowded her against the cabinetry of the sinks. When she wobbled off the stepstool, he swooped down to right it, picked her up and dropped her barefooted on the bench. Still she was significantly shorter than he was, she barely came up to his sternum, despite the boost. She scowled, trying to get around him without completely toppling from her perch. The king leaned forward and gently grasped her throat as he nuzzled his nose against hers. She tried to bite him. He reached around and gave her bare ass slap and she stilled, her eyes still glittering with anger. The girl started when his cool hand slipped against her breast and squeezed before seeking out her hardening nipple and rolling it between his fingers. His gaze rose from her chest to her eyes and he watched her intently.

"Do not ever lose this fire, Annalise," he growled as his lips barely brushed against hers.

She _hated_ that her lower belly began to heat and twist. She loathed the fact that when he tenderly pressed his lips against hers, she couldn't help but surge forward, roughly molding her mouth to his and clawing at the hand around her neck as she clutched him with the other.

Loki ceased his gentle teasing. His hand abandoned her throat and instead cupped her rear, hefting her up against the wall as she wrapped her legs around his middle. Trusting him to hold her steady, she ruined her lingerie as she hastily ripped it from her body. Loki smirked when she pushed at the waistband of his pants with her heels, thanking God or a god or whatever was appropriate that it was elastic.

When the king's cock sprang free, she abandoned her fight with the pajamas. Instead, she rutted herself against his belly until he dropped her low enough to slide his swollen cock against her slit. He groaned and let his head fall back when his length slid easily against her slick folds.

"I will never tire of how you are always ready for me, my little queen. Does my mere presence do this to you?"

He tilted his head forward again, brushing his lips against her cheeks and chin as he whispered to her.

"Were you this wet during our reception? While all of the world's most important citizens stood only feet away from your slick cunt?"

With a growl Annalise nipped at his lip to bring his attention back to her greedy mouth and her throbbing pussy. Her husband snickered and bit her back even harder. She whined and made a face at the coppery tang of blood, but Loki was unwilling to let her pull away.

The king squeezed the globes of her rear, kneading her flesh with his strong hands. She gasped and dug her fingers into the powerful muscles of his back.

"Please," she whimpered against his mouth.

The man's smirk was devious, as per usual, but she could see in his blazing green eyes that he needed to be inside of her as much as she needed to feel possessed by him.

"Loki," she groaned, thrusting her hips insistently.

"As my little queen insists."

With a rough slam he entered her, her walls immediately clutching around him as if refusing to let him pull out. She panted against his shoulder before he shifted her weight to one arm and used the other to guide her mouth back to his.

In an effort to get even closer to him, Annalise pushed off from the wall. Despite her insignificant mass, her determined shove against the tile caught him slightly off balance. He righted himself after stumbling a few steps, crashing her back into a rack bedecked from floor to ceiling with fluffy white towels and terrycloth robes. A decorative duo of candles clattered to the floor and vaguely Annalise registered the sound of glass breaking, but seeing as she was otherwise engaged, she paid it no mind.

As if their minor relocation reminded Loki he was mobile, the king pulled his bride away from the tower of towels and walked her over to their twin sinks. He kicked her stepstool out of the way and plopped her on the counter as he spread his legs to adjust for the height difference. Loki changed his pace, slowly down and thrusting leisurely.

The poor girl dug her heels into his rear, her hands scrambling over his chest and back as the heat in her lower belly continued to build.

"You look distressed," he grunted. "Do you need something, dear wife?"

She disregarded his question and desperately pulled him to her, her brain completely overridden by her throbbing cunt. She arched against him like an animal, grunting and whining and gasping for air.

"It is rude to ignore, Annalise."

Whimpering in defeat, she rested her forehead against his hard chest, her body still jolting each time he thrust slowly into her.

Her words were slurred.

"Was there question?"

He growled into her ear.

"Do you need something, little girl?"

By this point, poor Annalise was trembling. Loki grabbed her by the hair and pulled, forcing her to look up at him. He stared at her expectantly, his hips slowing and threatening to stop completely.

"I need to come," she whispered. Now that his cock was no longer battering her velvety walls, she could think, and with thinking came bashfulness. She bucked her hips at him once, then buried her face against his chest.

"I know you do, darling," he soothed her, his grip in her hair releasing and stroking instead.

"Who do your orgasms belong to, wife?"

"You."

Her voice was muffled against his skin.

"And who do _you_ belong to, Annalise?"

He groaned when his inquiry caused her pussy to contract over his length.

"I belong to you, my king."

With a grunt Loki reared back, knocking her back as his hips propelled him flush against her.

Modesty eased by his cock, the little queen leaned forward and whispered against his ear between gasps.

"You own me."

The moment the words left her lips she knew she would be very, very sore in the morning, but the look on his face was completely worth it: A mixture of desire, pride, possession, and something that could only be described as wickedly Loki.

With several brutal pumps, she felt him release inside her, the burn in her own belly exploded. For Loki to react so viscerally to her admission was a heady concept. The _King_ of Earth, the title still sounded so silly, but that's what he was. The King got off knowing she belonged to him. Yes, she had turned herself into an acquisition, but her back arched as her cunt squeezed every drop of come from his kingly cock.

x

Eventually they stumbled their way back to bed. Loki was unwilling to release her, so she clung to him in her marsupial fashion as he stalked around the room with her.

She bit his shoulder. Somewhat gently.

"Put me in bed before you fall over."

He hmphed, offended that she thought him capable of _falling over_ , but did as his wife bade.

After they both settled in, he turned to her with a stern expression on his face, his eyes focused on her middle. He hesitated for just a fraction of a second, but it was long enough for her to sense his anxiety. Slowly he hovered his hand over her tummy, and she saw on his face the exact moment he detected another life inside her.

He sighed, as if paternal responsibility was weighing on him already.

"We have indeed conceived."

Annalise's shy smile went completely unnoticed by Loki as he rattled off her new duties.

"You will receive my seed daily. Likely more than once."

Propping herself up on her elbows, she baulked. She didn't abhor sex with him, obviously. It was just that he said it with such certainty, like she had no choice in the matter.

"My darling queen, it is for your safety as well as the baby's. Without my… I believe you Midgardians call it DNA, inside you, neither you nor the child will survive. It can be administered orally or vaginally. Or anally, I suppose."

"No, no. Normal sex is fine," she stammered.

"Good girl."

She lay back and protectively placed her hands over her still-flat belly. She may not be showing yet, but she still felt fiercely protective of the little life inside of her. With an anxious-but-contented sigh she closed her eyes. He reclined beside her and, to her surprise, slipped an arm beneath her head, possessively pulling her to him.


	13. I'm Callin

The newlyweds didn't make their way downstairs until late afternoon. Loki refused to leave the room until he'd had Annalise enough times that she could barely walk, and Annalise wouldn't leave until Loki covered the surplus of pink and purple marks he'd left along her jaw, neck, chest… everywhere. She was covered in them.  
"They know I'm yours, Loki. You rule the earth, my dear husband," just saying word that out loud made her shiver. She was married to the most powerful being on the planet. "No one would dare touch me."

She smiled kissed his cheek. For once, both of them were in amicable moods. Capitalizing on her husband's rare pleasant demeanor, Annalise persuaded Loki that they needed to begin the process of seeing their guests off. The open invitation bid their visitors stay as long as they'd like, but most were needed in their respective countries and industries in order to keep the world functioning under Loki's watchful eye.

As Annalise hosted a farewell tea with many of the wives and diplomatic counterparts, Loki met with his most prominent leaders in the banquet hall. They arranged a summit in Geneva which was to take place in several weeks regarding co-existing with the Chitauri. Though still uncomfortable with the alien presence, the humans were slowly growing accustomed to the beasts and were willing to work with Loki as long as the species stayed peaceful.

Summit date set, Loki only had one more issue to deal with before he could truly focus on ruling earth. In exchange for his army of Chitauri, Loki bartered the Tesseract with The Unknown, the creature seemingly in charge of the brutes. The king did not know what the Chitauri leader intended to do with the Tesseract, but he knew that Annalise would not approve of gifting one of the most powerful artifacts on earth to someone with questionable rectitude. That was not an argument he wanted to have. He also didn't trust the elusive entity. Loki genuinely believed that The Unknown had less than admirable intentions for the relic and the King was feeling especially protective of his pregnant wife and newly acquired realm. He would not surrender the power source as initially promised, and therefore, going forward, needed to prepare for the backlash of breaking his word… But he would save that for a day in the near future.

x

That evening, the newlyweds were dining with several mildly uncomfortable and humbled diplomats at _their_ table when Thor approached Loki and Annalise. Immediately Loki stiffened and put his hand on Annalise's knee. She fought not to roll her eyes in front of her husband's dignitaries. Likely in an attempt to show respect, Thor bowed his head awkwardly at the King and Queen. Sensing the tension, the other men and women bid the royal couple adieu and scattered for the door. When Loki stared at Thor with a hint of wicked aggression in his eye, Annalise quickly greeted him before her husband had a chance to lose his temper.

"It's good to see you, Thor. Have you been enjoying your visit? Please, take a seat."

Evidently the elder brother sensed the hostility radiating off Loki and opted to sit to Annalise's left. She smiled and patted his hand before turning to her husband.

"We really should begin permanently assigning rooms for our guests as I imagine many will periodically visit for weeks at a time. I'll speak with the project manager of the Waldorf and make sure that is put into action." She turned to Thor. "Since we're not yet in the city, we will give you temporary rooms here. Do you know how long you'll be staying?"

Thor smiled and shook his head.

"I plan to take my leave shortly."

Out of the corner of her eye, Annalise saw Loki smirk in satisfaction. She was certain Loki saw Thor's departure as a retreat. How could her king still feel threatened by his older brother? He had a planet, he had a queen, he was in the process of obtaining followers, yet still he felt intimidated by his brother.

Loki sneered.

"And will you be returning to the Avengers? Or will you brave _your_ father's anger when he realizes you neglected to capture me?"

Thor looked between Annalise and Loki and sighed. He folded his hands on the table.

"Brother, I am not here to fight. I—. I wish to offer my blessings."

Loki stood immediately.

"I will not have you mock us in our own home. Be gone," he hissed.

Annalise slipped her hand in Loki's and for a split second she thought he was going to recoil, but after a moment he realized she meant no harm and let his shoulders drop. She spoke softly to him.

"Loki, can't you see the sincerity in his eyes?"

The king looked at his brother, then to his wife, shaking his head.

"All I see is the man that lied to me for my entire life."

"I know," she soothed softly. "But this is Thor, who lived as your brother for centuries, not Odin."

Both men looked surprised that she would so casually speak the Allfather's name, but she refused to let the old man cow her. Especially all the way from Asgard.

Thor nodded, "Truthfully, brother. I… I am surprised that you are still in power. All of us are," he admitted. "But the Avengers know they will lose if they engage with the Chitauri. There are too many of them and countless civilian lives at risk."

Loki's face was void of emotion, but he nodded, seemingly accepting his brother's claim. Thor continued.

"As the sub-realms of Midgard saw the decimation of the City of New York, many chose to surrender peacefully in order to avoid human casualty. This has been a agreeable solution. To the Avenger's bewilderment, the Chitauri have not engaged unless provoked. They believe co-existence is, perhaps, possible."

Again, the younger brother nodded. Deep down, Annalise knew inside he was nearly beaming. To hear such words come from Thor… Never would her husband have thought such a day such would come. But he refused to show his how important his brother's approval was, and he remained stoic.

"I am glad the imbeciles realized their cooperation would lead to lesser loss of life."

Thor's eye twitched, but he didn't retaliate. Annalise quickly cut in.

"Thank you for attending the wedding, Thor. Your support is important to us." To Loki, of course, but she wouldn't dare say so in front of her husband.

Thor stood, smiling uneasily and held out his hand to Annalise. She rose and extended her hand to shake his, her own hand looking ridiculously small as he took it and, to her surprise, pressed a kiss against the back. The new queen heard Loki growl behind her and immediately she pulled her hand away from Thor's lips, backing up until she bumped into Loki's hard form. Possessively he wrapped his arms around her little body, his palm splayed over her belly, and she rested her hands over his in an effort to soothe and reassure her king. It would not do for him to attack his brother over such a silly show of affection.

The elder of the two cleared his throat.

"I see some customs are different on Midgard," he chuckled. "I apologize if I overstepped my boundaries, Loki. You have a lovely wife."

Annalise's nails immediately dug into Loki's hand in an attempt to keep his attention on her as Thor finished his sentence. She felt her husband tense, and could hear the speed of his breathing increase in anger.

"Loki, enough," she hissed.

She felt him relax slowly behind her as she toyed with the ring on his left hand, distracting him enough to diffuse his anger.

Thor looked back and forth between husband and wife, confused at what just happened before him. Did she just _calm_ Loki?

Annalise looked at him sternly.

"I think it's time you leave, Thor."

"We are now family! Call me brother."

Anna winced as Loki's hand moved from her belly until it rest even more possessively against the underside of her breast. She sighed. Thor could not take a hint to save his life, and if the room filled with any more testosterone, she was going to vomit.

"Brother," the word felt awkward on her lips, "It is time you return to Asgard. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. Neither of us will forget your faith in Loki to rule peacefully."

Had Loki's grip not been so tight on her, she would have offered to embrace her "brother," but when Thor lingered in hope of a hug, Loki snarled, making it clear touching her was not an option.

"Off with you," she forced a laugh.

Thor left Carrollcliffe on foot in order to call Heimdall to open the fragile, but repaired, Bifrost. Annalise slipped from Loki's grasp, sighing in relief once Thor was gone. Never would she have guessed that her brother-in-law would give them his support. Part of her wondered if it was all a ruse, but for Loki's sake, she hoped not. To her surprise, she felt a pang of anger at the thought of Thor hurting his younger brother yet again.

Even after he was gone, Annalise stared out the window of the castle in thought. When Loki spoke in her ear, she jumped in surprise.

"Perhaps Thor would be a better match for you," Loki said bitterly.

Annalise whirled around and glared, her hands balled into fists at her sides.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"I saw the look on your face when the oaf kissed your hand."

"How dare you! We've not yet been married for twenty-four hours and already you accuse me of wandering!"

Loki shrugged and examined his nails. "He's an attractive and powerful man. I can understand the infatuation."

A tear of frustration streaked down Annalise's cheek. With a growl she pushed past Loki, annoyed that he _allowed_ her to do so, as he easily could've blocked her exit had he wanted. If he was truly invested in them as a couple, he would've stopped her to resolve such a silly argument.

She stomped to the elevator and hit both the up and down buttons, uncaring as to where she went. She just needed to get away from Loki and his toxic self-doubt. When the doors dinged and opened, she stepped into the first car to arrive. The array of buttons were scattered with lit floors peppering the lower half of the building, indicating they were descending. Shaking herself out of her distress, she greeted the other guests in the elevator and made polite conversation on her way down.

Once she stepped from the car, she quickly darted into one of the many rooms off the lobby. She wandered and wove, losing herself completely until she found a door that led outside. The knob was old and took some jimmying, but eventually she worked it open and stepped outside into the gardens. The landscaping was exquisite. She wandered along the pebbled paths, absentmindedly brushing her fingers against the many colored roses.

The girl froze when she heard rustling behind her. Her stomach dropped as she quietly slipped her shoes off; her bare feet were quieter. Tiptoeing, she peered around the hedge and gasped.

"You almost scared me to death! How long have you been following me?"

A sheepish Barton and an additional agent shrugged nonchalantly.

"Since you left the King. You took the elevator; we took the stairs. His orders."

Annalise laughed humorously.

"Of course. Well, I don't know where we are and I'm tired. Take me back to the castle, please."

She sighed in defeat as the other agent grabbed her shoes, while Barton began walking her back to her husband.

x

Stepping out of the shower, Annalise grabbed a robe, walked to the counter and stepped on her stool to begin drying her hair. The dryer blocked the sound of the door opening, but the burst of cool air caught her attention. She turned off the hairdryer and looked at Loki through the mirror. He lazily stalked towards her, turning and resting his rear casually against the marble sinks. He stretched his legs out, crossing one ankle casually over the other. Neither spoke.

With an irritated huff she turned the dryer back on and proceeded to tousle her fingers through her long auburn locks until they were mostly dry. Watching her husband out of the corner of her eye, she continued with her nightly routine, messing with moisturizer and eye cream until she couldn't prolong her ritual any longer. She turned to Loki.

"Can I help you?"

The man considered his wife for a moment. He wanted something from her, or else he wouldn't have waited for her in the bathroom. Annalise sighed in exasperation and shoved past him, intentionally checking him with her shoulder. The queen stumbled, whereas he remained completely still, but she felt slightly better after shoving him.

Since her passive aggressive antics were clearly underappreciated, she gave up, grabbing her most modest nightgown—one that fell mid-thigh—and selected a thick book from the shelf. She peeled back the bed covers and slid beneath them, opening to an arbitrary page which she stared at for three minutes. Annalise could feel his damn eyes on her. In a fit of exhaustion and mild immaturity, she threw the book against the wall.

"What do you want! Do you want me to sleep in a different room?"

The girl whipped off the sheets and began stomping to the door. Loki caught her around her waist. He bent, cupping the globes of her rear in either hand as he dragged her up his body, lifting her until they were eye to eye.

Annalise blushed at the intimacy of the position, but cooperatively rested her hands on his shoulders. It was much more difficult to yell at her husband when their faces were inches apart, especially when he looked at her like _that._ His eyes were on her developing list of downfalls. They could be devilishly diabolical and frighteningly violent, but there was also a curious, fiercely protected innocence to them at times. That side of him seemed only to come out around her, and it was making an appearance now.

She sighed and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his and letting her lids slip shut. Her brain function improved slightly when his gaze wasn't boring into her.

"I don't want your brother."

Loki grunted and leaned back, pulling his face from hers. She opened her eyes, returning his gaze. If he needed to see her face as she said the words, then so be it.

"You are my husband. As dysfunctional and tumultuous as our relationship is… I wouldn't trade it," she admitted quietly.

Loki rose a brow.

"You would abandon me in exchange for your freedom," he stated.

Annalise hesitated and chanced a look over his shoulder out the window. Her husband could allow her to go free, but then what? It wasn't as if she could take her horde of victims back to Germany with her, and how could she go about her life not knowing if they were safe? Though the violence had mostly ceased, the Chitauri were still working out co-existence with the NYPD/ NYFD and fires continued to burn in the city. The smell of smoke had been present since their arrival at Carrollcliffe. Most of New York City was still destroyed, and nothing would be the same again. The world was slowly adjusting to its new ruler, and Annalise was fairly certain she was the only person that could ease the transition.

Slowly she shook her head.

"No, I wouldn't."

Loki eyed her skeptically.

"You mean to tell me if I granted you autonomy, you would not leave?" He scoffed. "Do not taunt me, little Queen. You will not like the consequences."

"I'm not taunting you, Loki," she said softly. "Formally release me, if you need to, it won't matter. I'll stay."

"Why?"

She looked away. It was far too late in the evening to have this conversation. She didn't know _why_. Or at least she wasn't going to admit it to herself. Their relationship was far too malfunctional to dissect on a psychological level. She was afraid of what she might find.

Annalise felt him begin to withdraw emotionally.

"I don't _know_ why," she blurted. "Right now, I just want to kiss you until you're not angry with me anymore." Her voice caught in her throat. The admission sounded foolish, even to her ears.

" _Why_?"

The queen shrugged.

"You make me care about you. Sometimes."

"I do no such thing."

She laughed softly and bowed her head, unable to look him in the eye.

"Well, regardless, I do. It's messed up and I shouldn't, but I do."

Loki sighed and strode to the bed, sitting and dragging her into his lap.

"I have a temper."

She studied his face. He seemed calmer; the ache and ire was gone from his eyes. His admission was more self-acknowledgement than coming clean. She gave a watery laugh and wiped at her face.

"Yes, you do, my King."

"Your presence… pleases me. I w—. I would be dissatisfied were you not here."

Annalise wiped away a stray tear from her eye before leaning in and pressing her lips to his. For a moment, he just felt her, savoring the sensation of her soft mouth. Then, the king kissed her back, slowly deepening it with a groan.

In her tirade, the partially clad Annalise had also neglected to grab panties, and she could very much feel the growing erection through the fabric of his trousers. With a smirk she reached between them, grasping his hardening length and making him hiss. Though his face appeared blank as he watched her, that at least for that moment, he was hers. His queen pulled at the laces, whimpering impatiently as they knotted. Loki chuckled and snapped his fingers, relieving himself of the confines of clothing. She pressed a hand against his chest and pushed him back, silently asking him to relax against the pillows. He did so, casually resting his hands behind his head as he watched his wife.

Annalise settled between his legs and began stroking his semi-hard cock. Loki groaned and reached forward, tangling his fingers in her hair and gently pulling her mouth closer to his shaft. With a self-assured smirk, she lowered her lips to the velvety hard flesh in her hand. Settling on her stomach, Annalise pressed open mouthed kisses against him, which quickly evolved into greedy licks.

"Little Queen," he gritted. "Enough teasing."

She grinned against him and slipped her lips over his length, moaning as she did so. His hips rose up off the bed when she gently cupped his sac, then tugged which elicited a noise somewhere between a grunt and a groan. Quite pleased with herself, she continued her ministrations and worked his shaft down her throat. Each time her mouth receded, she stopped as they hit the ridge of his head, sucking eagerly before pushing her lips back over him. The guttural, primal noises he was making only spurred her on, and she let out a cry of disappointment as her husband yanked her forward by her hair. He sealed his mouth over hers, not bothering to seek permission as his tongue invited itself past her lips. Annalise moaned and clung to him, immediately canting her hips forward against his chest, desperate to be filled and unable to stay still.

Holding Annalise to him, Loki slipped a finger against her slit, teasing her cruelly before finally rubbing her clit and causing her hips to buck wantonly at him.

"No more," she panted with a needy whine.

"My little peach cannot handle another moment without my cock buried in her?"

Annalise whimpered and shook her head.

"Well then," he purred, positioning his cock at her entrance.

He roughly pulled her down, sheathing himself in her slick, tight velvet walls with a feral growl. Crying out, Annalise wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her forehead against his as he cupped her hips and forced her to ride him. The king groaned; he loved how fucking wet she got for him, especially when they argued.

"Every time I take you, must we argue prior?" He grunted into her ear.

"Evidently," she gasped.

She released his neck and leaned back, resting her palms on his thighs as she scooped her hips, luxuriating in the leverage the position gave her. It was rare she had any control when they were together, and, when she was able to keep her eyes open, she loved to watch his face as she took him inside her. When Loki reared up on his knees, his wife wrapped her legs around his middle and reinstated her grip on his shoulders. He roughly thrust up as he pulled her down, making them both groan. Loki held her with one hand and used the other to guide her mouth back to his, drinking greedily from her lips as she squirmed against him. Impatient and needy, Annalise fought with him for power, despite knowing how much stronger he was. And how much taller. And how much more knowledgeable in the art of combat. She struggled anyway, determined to grind or thrust against him to the best of her ability.

To her surprise, he chuckled against her mouth and she pulled away, scowling until he dropped her at the perfect angle, making her see white as she arched. Scrabbling against him, she did everything in her power to fuck him right back as she felt the telltale signs of an orgasm usurp her brain. The little queen clung to Loki, crying out against his chest as he pumped inside her. Her King filled her in ways no man ever had. He was large, yes, but he also knew how to use his gifts, and he held nothing back when they were in bed. Electricity shot through her and finally she snapped, screaming as her hot cunt contracted around his pumping cock. The second her impossibly tight heat clenched around him, Loki lost complete control, his mind totally blank aside from something screaming at him to fuck her harder. He came with a roar, his hips jackhammering up against her pussy, burying his seed inside her as deeply as possible.

Loki collapsed backwards, tugging Annalise to him without pulling out of her. They lay in a panting, sweaty mess until Loki unceremoniously dumped her off of him. Sputtering in exasperation, she began to swat at him until he pinned her arms above her head and leaned forward, examining her belly.

"I cannot see any difference."

She couldn't help but laugh, which made him turn at her and glare. Wrestling a hand free of his loose grip, she stroked his hair from his face.

"The baby may be half giant, but they still start out very, very small. He or she is in there, I promise. Remember this morning when I cursed you for getting me in this situation in the first place? And how I had to keep running to the toilet? Morning sickness is a classic symptom of pregnancy."

Still frowning, Loki nodded. Intellectually he knew the baby was there, he could sense it. But when does Loki _not_ doubt the validity of good things?

In a rare, _rare_ act of affection, he lay his head on her tummy and closed his eyes, sighing in contentment. Annalise stared at him, dumbfounded and relieved he couldn't see her face so there was no chance he'd witness the look of her pure shock etched across her features. Tentatively she combed her fingers through his hair, and he sighed, his body relaxing as he drifted off. His queen looked up at the ceiling and shook her head, smiling as she reclined against the pillows and let her lids slip shut.


	14. Poison Paradise

Annalise pushed her sleeves up her arms and stuck her hands on her hips. Moving to the newly rebuilt Waldorf was proving to be quite exhausting. She wasn't aware she and Loki had acquired so many _things_ in the short time they'd live at Carrollcliffe. The worst part was that she was exhausted and she wasn't even doing the heavy lifting. Her charges took care of packing her clothes and jewelry, and their tangible wedding gifts were carefully wrapped and stowed in a large Chitauri transport ship, along with everything else.

The royal couple was scheduled to move into the Waldorf once they returned from the summit taking place in Geneva. Annalise was eager to get Loki away from their current home as he found "moving" to be a waste of time. She tried to explain how many priceless gifts they received for their wedding. He claimed that if they found themselves in need of anything, he could conjure it or the Chitauri would procure it. His Queen humbly disagreed, which was how she ended up in charge of everything Waldorf-related.

x

As the aircraft continued its flight to Geneva, Annalise buckled herself in. Loki rolled his eyes at her.

"You have enough of me in you that a simple plane crash will no longer harm you."

"Are you really willing to test that?"

He inhaled as if to speak, then glowered.

"No, I suppose not."

She cocked a brow.

"Then permit me to ensure the baby's safety as well as my own."

The corners of the King's mouth flickered downwards.

"I would _never_ let any harm befall you. Either of you. No one damages what is mine."

Immediately she regretted teasing him. With a pang of guilt, she realized his feelings were hurt. The Queen held out her hand.

"You don't have to wear a seatbelt, but come sit?"

The King hesitated, eyeing her cautiously before nodding once. Gracefully he made his way toward his wife and sat next to her, his long legs splayed open casually.

When she rested her head against his arm, he looked down at her in confusion. She smiled and tugged downwards at his shirt.

"Slouch, so I lean against you."

Somewhat befuddled, Loki raised a brow at her request but, after a moment, acquiesced. He compromised his impeccable posture and lowered himself to her level. When he sat motionless, she laughed and draped his heavy arm around her own shoulders, resting her cheek against his chest. Loki watched her with curiosity and held her to him once he understood the position she desired. Had the seatbelt not been a touchy issue, he would have simply picked her up and placed her in his lap, but he was unwilling to risk the wellbeing of his wife and baby.

As they began their descent, Annalise drifted off to sleep against her husband.

x

The couple dragged their feet as they walked through their hotel room door, both collapsing on the plush couch in the center of the room.

"That was exhausting," she sighed.

"Humans are exhausting."

She snorted.

The summit had gone well. Three days of negotiation ended in a series of agreements providing guidelines for the co-existence of humans and Chitauri on Earth. A large portion of the taiga was carved out of Europe, North America and Asia and gifted to the Chitauri armies under the condition that they destroy no more than twenty-five percent of the temperate forest to clear room for living space.

The royal couple, though diplomatically satisfied, were overtired. Far too delirious to move to the bed. Loki fell asleep first, his tall frame drooping onto her tiny one. She pushed and prodded his unconscious self until he lay out on the couch, his head in her lap. With a contented smile, she leaned against the arm of the sofa and closed her eyes.

x

The sweet sound of a baritone hum woke Annalise after several hours of sleep. Loki tugged his sleepy Queen into his lap, his voice rumbling in his chest as he continued his quiet serenading. With a groggy sigh, the girl squirmed until she straddled him properly and then lay her head to rest on his shoulder. If he wanted her, that was fine. But he was going to have to do all the work, or she was going back to sleep in his lap.

Annalise felt one of his cool hands slide along her ribs as the fingers of his other plucked at the front of her blouse, slipping each button from its slit. She arched, pressing her chest into his hand with a sleepy moan. The King chuckled and teased her nipples with an icy fingertip, smirking when she shivered in his arms.

She nuzzled at his neck, latching onto his pulse point and laving at it with her tongue. Loki groaned and cupped her jaw, pulling her mouth to his and kissing her languidly.

Annalise startled when she felt an additional set of lips against the side of her neck. She pulled away to turn and look behind her, but Loki buried his hand in her hair and tugged her mouth back to his.

"Relax," he murmured against her lips.

Annalise whimpered with uncertainty when the body behind her gathered the girl's hair and pushed it over her shoulder, exposing her neck for the mystery man's lips to properly nibble and kiss. Her heart pounded and her belly twisted, partially with arousal, partially with fear.

After digging her nails into Loki's forearm, her husband finally released his grip on her hair. She whipped her head around and her jaw dropped. Her gasp was cut off when one of Loki's clones grabbed her chin and pressed his mouth to hers, nipping roughly at her lower lip.

She was forced to speak against the duplicate's mouth on account of his refusing to stop kissing her. Already, her voice was already laced with ecstasy-induced delirium.

"What are you doing?"

"Playing with my little Queen," the original Loki murmured against her neck.

With a whimper, Annalise wasted a moment trying to squirm out of their grasp, only to freeze when the clone ground against her back, pushing her throbbing core into her Loki. The poor thing was so overwhelmed; the duplicate smelled exactly like her King, kissed just like her King, and made her melt just like her King. The instinct to resist was fading rapidly.

The twin growled, irritated that she still wore clothing and disappeared every scrap of fabric from her body with a snap. She watched the duplicate's face as he examined her chest with a lustful grin. Though he looked just like her Loki, Annalise suddenly felt shy and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Do not be like that, darling," the clone pouted.

Annalise whimpered and looked back at her Loki.

"Ah, ah. You will obey him just as you obey me," her husband chided, his breath puffing hot against her ear.

Hands shaking, she lowered them into her lap, giving the double free reign of her chest.

Since she was already twisted to face Loki's clone, her Loki helped her move so that her back was to him, offering his twin a chance to play with his wife's chest. The duplicate moaned as he took her in, her lips swollen and cheeks pinked. She was already panting, poor thing.

He leaned forward and took one of her hardened nipples into his mouth, prompting Annalise to drop her head back against her Loki's shoulder. With a moan, she clutched the double's head to her chest, burying her hands in his hair. She could feel him smile against her breast as he slithered his hand up her side to pinch at her other nipple.

Functioning almost completely out of her baser needs, Annalise's hips swiveled on their own as the men teased her, her core desperately seeking penetration. Both ground their hardening erections against her, and the original Loki began guiding her hips back and forth on his lap.

The double abandoned her breasts causing her to whine, but both Lokis crooned at her not to worry. A new set of hands groped her chest, and she relaxed back against the original Loki once more. When she felt cool fingers probing between her legs, she spread her thighs without a second thought. Annalise cried out as the twin plunged two fingers into her.

"Fuck," he growled. "You are soaked, little peach."

All she could do was nod; her mouth open in bliss.

She had no leverage until the men managed to spread her legs open so that her thighs lay on either side of the original Loki's. Once she did, her hips thrust rhythmically. Slowly the copy began fucking her with his middle and ring finger, drawing out quite possibly the most lascivious noises the girl had ever uttered.

Annalise could no longer function. The four hands on her body completely ruined her ability to think, let alone form any type of coherent sentence. She clutched at her Loki's arm, unintentionally digging her nails into his flesh so hard she broke skin.

Eyes closed, Annalise was unable to see her Loki make eye contact with the double and give him a nod. She wailed as the duplicate's fingers quickened their pace. He wasn't rough, but he was persistent as he curled his fingers inside her, gently but briskly stroking the perfect spot. The original Loki held her still as she tried to thrash, so desperate to come she'd fuck his fingers herself if she had to, but her husband wouldn't allow her the liberty. He crossed his arms over her chest, holding her petite form still as the fire in her belly burned. She could no longer feel the rest of her body, just the coil in her core twisting tighter and tighter.

"More, harder, please, _please_ ," she choked out, her eyes welling in desperation.

"Our poor girl," the duplicate soothed, wiping a sweaty strand of hair behind her ear. "Such a good, eager little peach."

Annalise drug her thigh back over her Loki's, attempting to kick the double away from her so she could finish herself since he insisted on dragging it out. Both men chuckled and her husband took her wrists in one hand and held her open with the other.

"I need it," she whimpered, wriggling in his grasp.

"What do you need, dearest?"

"To come," she whispered.

This time the twin spoke.

"Why did you not say so? We are reasonable gentlemen, are we not?"

He pumped his fingers into her fluttering cunt at a deliciously rapid pace, and Annalise twitched as her orgasm began ripping through her. She screamed, the coil deep inside her snapping as she came and gushed over the clone's hand.

"There's a good girl," her Loki purred into her ear.

Annalise lay completely boneless, her body still quivering from the force at which she came. Her lids began to slide shut when her Loki chuckled and picked her up, taking her to the bed in several strides. Delicately he lay her down as he crawled beside her. His twin joined them on her opposite side. With wave, the men were naked. Each gently grasped her hand and guided it over their straining cocks.

She inhaled sharply, overcome with a sleepy sense of greed as she stroked them both. Her gaze flitted from one to the other, unable to look away as she pumped her fist over them. Her Loki hissed, tilting his head back and closing his eyes, while the clone pulled away and began to move between her legs. Sensing his movement at the dip of the mattress, the original Loki opened his eyes and snarled.  
"No. You may have her mouth. You may be identical to me, but that delectable cunt of hers is _mine_ , do you both understand?"

His clone smirked at the original, defiantly holding his gaze for several beats before giving a nod and crawling to Annalise's side once more.

His wife was not really in a position to respond, as his clone was rubbing the weeping tip of his cock against her lips. With a moan, she parted them, and immediately he pushed into her mouth.

Still glaring, the original Loki crept towards his wife and knelt between her thighs, stroking them reassuringly when her eyes grew wide.

"You take me so well, little Queen. We will give you extra strength for our flight home. After you've taken our come this time, you will no longer be vulnerable to trivial violence such as a crashing plane," he soothed.

Hesitating, the girl gave a sharp nod, her mobility limited due to the shaft in her mouth. She lay back and relaxed her thighs. The original immediately spread them and groaned, taking in her flushed, wet pussy. He fisted his length and dragged the tip along her slit, causing her to mewl and whine when he rubbed the head against her clit. She was still so sensitive, a fact that made both her husband and his twin grin.

His clone shushed her, stroking her hair as she took his cock deeper into her mouth. When she struggled to sit up, curious to watch her husband, both men shook their head and pressed her back against the bed.

"Relax. Enjoy yourself, little peach," the double soothed.

She nodded with a whine and lay flat against the bed.

When she felt the blunt tip of her husband's length nudging her entrance, she let the clone's cock slip from her mouth with a wet _pop_ as her eyes slid shut. Knowing Loki, clone or original, was not one for neglect, she wrapped her small hand around his length and stroked while the original slid into her up to the hilt.

"Be a good girl. Take him back in your mouth while I fuck you, my Queen," her Loki growled sternly.

Her stomach fluttered in anticipation as she wrapped her lips around the duplicate once more, letting her eyes flutter shut as her husband began fucking her with slow, brutal strokes that made the bed rock with each thrust.

Stoking the length of his shaft she couldn't take all the way in her mouth, at least not while her body moved with each of her Loki's rough thrusts, Annalise continued her oral ministrations. When he groaned low in his throat, her eyes opened and she smirked around him, earning her a particularly merciless ram from the original Loki.

Neither the king nor his replica could last much longer, and the duplicate began thrusting demandingly into her mouth instead of letting her lay there and enjoy worshipping his cock. She swirled her tongue along the head, hollowing her cheeks. He groaned low in his throat, and she gently tugged at the base of his sac, pulling a guttural noise from the twin as he came in her mouth. Mindful of Loki's intent, she swallowed each drop, working to ensure the safety of both her and their baby.

The twin's shaft slipped from her mouth and he settled beside her, watching intently as her Loki plowed into his wife. The original Loki fucked her rhythmically, skin on skin slaps echoing throughout their room. Annalise was still so tender from her first climax that it didn't take much teasing for the telltale feelings of an orgasm to overtake her. She arched her back, her mouth open in a silent scream as her husband let out an animalistic growl and surged forward, his hips hammering against hers as he fucked her through her climax.

The contractions of her tight walls around him made him grit his teeth as he lost control, his pelvis slamming against Annalise's as he let out a roar and flooded her cunt with his hot seed.

All three lay panting for several minutes, but eventually Loki waved his hand and the duplicate disappeared. Annalise turned towards her Loki, trying very hard to glare at him but she was pretty sure her sleepy smile negated the expression.

"Where did that come from?"

He shrugged.

"There are only so many ways to remind you that you belong to me. I thought I would get creative."

Chuckling, Annalise lay her head on his chest and let her eyes flutter shut, utterly exhausted.


	15. Devil's Cup

With a moan, Annalise woke to a delicious, insistent throbbing between her legs. Her knees were spread wide and her husband lay between them, his face buried in her pussy.  
"Fuck," she mumbled with an arch of her back.

The girl could feel the vibrations of him chuckling against her wet, flushed skin. He sucked one of her folds into his mouth with a wet slurp, then pulled his mouth away with a smack of his lips. His green eyes flickered with devious self-satisfaction as Loki gazed up at her from between her thighs.

"Good morning, little Queen."

Clearly disinterested in further discourse, he returned to his treasure. Annalise was sopping wet from both her husband's contributions and her own juices. Her mind was numb with pleasure. She shivered as he traced his nose against her sensitive inner thigh, and when he nuzzled at her clit, her hips rose up off the bed and she moaned. Shushing her, he placed a large hand on her lower belly to hold her in place. He was enjoying himself and wouldn't allow her to ruin his fun. He took another lick, then stared intently at her flushed, swollen cunt.

"You are so sweet," he murmured offhandedly. "Just like a little peach."

The Queen moaned as he disappeared again. His tongue moved so slowly she could scream. Up, down, licking between this fold and that, dipping inside her, flicking at her clit. Despite his hand pinning her down, Annalise dug her heels into the mattress in yet another attempt to push up and arch her pelvis at him. The girl was deliriously desperate for more.

When he slapped her thigh she stilled, but only after huffing loudly at him. Her pout was interrupted when his tongue played at her entrance, drawing tight little circles around her hot core.

Annalise groaned in frustration and tried arching her hips again, only to be met with the same slap. It was the closest thing to spanking he could give her in such a position and it was nearly as effective. Though she shuddered when he lazily fucked her with his tongue, she otherwise stayed still.

The King's fingers danced along her tummy, her muscles fluttering as he toyed with her. At some point her fingers buried themselves in his silky hair and Loki grunted in appreciation as she tugged. His soft, strong tongue leisurely entered her and then withdrew, repeating the actions over and over. Eventually he lost interest in her entrance in favor of her clit, as it pleased him when she twitched each time he stroked his tongue against the little pearl.

By the time he could no longer ignore the cock straining against his trousers, Annalise was beside herself. The King fumbled with his breeches and pulled out his length, stroking firmly as he tortured her. She'd exhausted herself tugging and pulling and whining at her husband to fuck her, or at least let her come, but he had ignored her pleas. With a lascivious grin he _finally_ suctioned his lips around her painfully sensitive clit and began suckling, his tongue laving against her nonstop.

With a scream she came, and this time he allowed her taut body to bow off the bed. Loki rested his chin on her thigh as she came down, chuckling. Still panting, Annalise glared adoringly.

Pushing his trousers the rest of the way off, he climbed onto the bed and crawled to her. Before he so much as touched her, his Queen dove for his mouth, kissing and licking herself from his lips.

With a growl he wrestled her into his lap, her back against his front. Easily he lifted her, causing her to squeal. He spread her legs open on either side of his thighs, rendering her almost completely immobile. The King guided her down onto his cock, both sighing in satisfaction once he was buried to the hilt. Though still mostly incoherent from her first orgasm, Annalise rocked her hips impatiently, earning a groan from her King. He wrapped a long arm around her chest and gently gripped her neck from the front. He brought his mouth to her ear.

"Patience, little peach," he rumbled.

Obstinately Annalise thrust her hips and though Loki chuckled, his grip on her throat tightened. Slipping his free arm around her trunk he lifted her several inches and he leaned back against the headboard. Knees bent for leverage, he began to piston into her from beneath, causing the poor girl's head to fall back as she saw stars. Loki loved fucking her after using his mouth on her. She was _so_ incredibly responsive to his touch.

He played with pace, torturing her with long, slow strokes, fast, almost violent pumps and a mixture of the two. By the time she was writhing in his gasp she was back to her orgasm-hungry self which prevented him from reasoning with her, no matter how tight the grip on her neck. He lowered her back onto his cock, and dragged his other hand teasingly down her body, settling it between her legs.

His Queen arched against him when his fingers dipped into the slick juices that wept from her cunt, then made their way to her clit. Delicately he ran the tip of his middle finger around the hard little bud, chuckling when his wife grunted and tried to thrust her hips wantonly. She was stretched open, each of her thighs spread over his, and when she started thrashing he knew she had realized all power had been taken from her.

With a smirk he held her tightly by her throat, ignoring the greedy hands that scratched at the arm between her thighs. He murmured false sympathies in her ear, cooing and reassuring her.

"I know, sweet one. I know how much you need it. It feels so good, does it not?"

Completely incapable of forming a sentence, she simply whimpered, nodding her head.

"You can fight and you can scream, but you know I will only let you come when _I_ want you to. Your orgasm belongs to me," he hissed in her ear.

Her nails dug into his forearm in response.

"Please!"

"Soon," he purred.

Gently he tapped her clit and she groaned in angry frustration. Abandoning her assault of his arms, she moved a hand above her head, digging her fingers into Loki's hair as if her grip was the only thing keeping her sane.

The King shifted so that they reclined slightly and angled her face so that she could see him thrusting in and out of her, the finger that had been on her clit just far enough away to give her a good view.

"Do you see how perfectly you take me? You were born for this, my little Queen. Come," he growled.

With a shriek Annalise came, bucking wildly to the best of her ability given her position. Annalise's walls squeezed and fluttered around him as he thrust up into her, coaxing every last whimper and groan from the girl as Loki continued his frenzied pumps. Her jaw trembled as she came down, stars still impairing her vision.

Post-orgasm delirium hit the Queen and she melted back against him. Her King smirked and scooped an arm beneath each of her knees, effectively lifting her from his lap by several inches. Without warning, he hammered violently up into his wife, making her scream as his heavy sac smacked against her over sensitive clit. To his delight she came yet again, squeezing him tightly enough that he lost complete control and let loose, pounding against her brutally as he chased his own orgasm. With a roar he erupted inside her, hot come painting the inside of her as he growled.

For several minutes they lay in a sweaty, panting heap. Annalise scrubbed her face with her hand and tried to get up, failing miserably. Her legs were still Jell-O. Loki chuckled and she elbowed him. She may have been gaining Asgardian strength through her "daily pumpings," but it took much more than a tiny elbow to phase her husband. Gingerly he picked her up off of him and tasked himself with cleaning her.

He had just finished and had the nerve to start nibbling on her neck yet again while she swatted, too delirious for more when voices raised outside their bedroom door. The King rose and donned a robe while Annalise clutched the sheet to her chest.

"Enter," commanded Loki.

She could hear the scuffle of feet as Loki's guards moved out of the way to allow the visitor through.

A huge gray-black Chitauri scuttled into their bedroom, bowed and removed his helmet. Annalise couldn't hold back her gasp as he revealed his grotesque, skull-like face. It chattered at the King and Loki responded in English.

"Keep searching."

The general nodded, bowed once again, and left.

Annalise was too busy glaring at her husband because he'd almost let another man see her naked to recognize the solemn look on his face. He frowned.

"The Chitauri can no longer contact the Other. It appears he has retreated back into space."

"The who?"

Loki sighed impatiently and turned to face his wife. He paced alongside the bed.

"The Other. The… entity that gave me the Chitauri army. I bartered the Tesseract for them."

She propped herself up on an elbow.

"That's the blue thing?"

"Er, yes. It is the big, glowing blue cube that powers the other _blue things_. Like my men and the golden staff."

Annalise rolled onto her back and stretched languidly.

"You should let your blue-eyed SHIELD men go. Or at least make them normal. I bet they'd stay," she mentioned with a yawn.

Her husband caught her off guard when he loomed over her, grabbing his Queen's chin with uncomfortable firmness.

" _Listen_ , Annalise. This is very serious."

Flushing that he'd resorted to treating her like a misbehaving child, she nodded and met his gaze.  
"The Other could prove to be an incredible problem. He is very, very strong. If I did not have the Tesseract in my possession, he would be more powerful than I."

The girl swallowed hard and nodded jerkily.

"I understand," she breathed.

He let go of her and she pulled away, experimentally flexing her jaw where he'd held it.

"I must locate and dispose of him."

Loki perched on the side of the bed.

Annalise rose on her knees and crawled behind him, pressing a kiss against his bare shoulder.

"Or… we could just continue on as we have been. We're going to have enough problems with humans adjusting… The summit was one of many that need to happen. There is so much to worry about here, why take on another problem?"

"Because he will come for it at one time or another. He wants revenge. I do not want that possibility looming over my son's head."

She quirked an auburn brow and rubbed her belly.

"Son?"

Loki nodded matter-of-factly.

"Son. I have a feeling."

She laughed.

"The Mighty Loki has a feeling, so it must be."

With a growl he was on her, her throat grasped tightly in his hand once more.

"Say it again."

"What?"

"My name, say it again," he hissed.

She groaned, biting her lip in anticipation.

"Loki."

With a rumble his mouth was on hers. He kissed the breath from her, her heart beating rapidly at his sudden change in demeanor. God, she loved him like this. Aggressive and possessive.

He cupped her jaw and crawled over her, his hardening cock brushing against her thigh. Without putting up a fight, she fell backwards, her knees spreading open for him automatically. The King surged forward, sheathing himself in one thrust. She was sore and sensitive from their rigorous fucking, but she couldn't help the burn that reignited in her lower belly. Loki released his grip on her neck and instead took each of her hands in his, weaving their fingers together and pinning her arms above her head. She tried to raise off the mattress in search of his lips but he tutted her and shook his head.

"When you are on your back with me inside you, you belong to me, you obey me," he hissed.

She couldn't keep the whimper that slipped from between her lips, or the extra firm contraction of her cunt around his cock. The corner of Loki's mouth quirked.

"I know. It pleases me as well," he purred against her ear.

It could have been the over sensitivity, or the nasty things he was whispering to her, or a combination, but that was all it took for Annalise to arch against him, her hips wildly seeking his. With a groan her husband released her hands and rose up, fucking her firmly through her orgasm. Tempted to draw yet another one from her, Loki debated putting off his own pleasure. But, he quickly decided against it and began battering her pelvis with his own. The King's head fell back as he came with a silent shout, flooding her cunt once again with his seed.

Despite feeling the culmination of their pleasure dribbling down her thighs, Annalise held Loki to her when he began to rise. She wasn't ready to part. With an incredibly self-satisfied smirk Loki rolled them to the side, spooning his wife as he stayed buried inside her as they both drifted back to sleep.


	16. I'm Fallin'

"You will not go alone. I forbid it."

Annalise stuck out her hip and glared at her husband.

"I do not need your permission."

"I am King of Midguard and you will obey me," he growled.

She nodded absently and returned to her task of hanging several dresses in a garment bag and laying it flat on the bed next to her suitcase.

"Mhm. And I'm the Queen. I'm going."

"You are small and pregnant and vulnerable."

The girl crossed her arms over her chest and raised an auburn brow.

"And you are tall and bossy but I tolerate you anyway."

She stalked over to him, tilting her chin up and standing as straight as possible. Annalise still only came up to his sternum without heels on, but it was the effort that mattered. Studying him, she considered her options. She'd never pouted at Loki before, but that was something she was saving for an emergency, which this was not. At least, not yet. The situation was minor enough that she could likely get by using her womanly wiles. Smirking internally, she closed the distance between them and rested her palms against his front.

"Loki."

"Annalise."

"You can't keep me trapped here forever. I'm pregnant, not an invalid."

When he started to argue she narrowed her eyes and he wisely chose to close his mouth.

The Queen toyed with the buttons of his shirt.

"They need you in China. I'll go to Brazil. We'll get things done twice as quickly."

Her husband hesitated, resting his hands on her shoulders. Idly he stroked a piece of her silky chestnut hair between his fingers.

"I would prefer that you not go alone."

She lay her hand atop his and gently ran her thumb back and forth soothingly.

"I won't be alone. I'll have Barton and the slew of other agents you send with me. We're meeting at the Palácio, it's the safest place in the city."

He frowned. She reached up and gently tugged on the collar of his crisp white shirt, pulling him down for a kiss.

"You chose me as your Queen because I'm competent, remember?"

He nodded.

"I'll be _fine_."

He grumbled.

"You will have 48 hours to complete your negotiations. If it takes a second longer, I will come fetch you myself."

She fought to keep from grinning.

"I have no doubt you will."

With a mildly passive aggressive sigh, Loki nodded. He grabbed the small Tumi bag she'd packed and forced him to take, then returned to his wife. She yelped and he scooped her up. She was expecting a kiss goodbye, not to be completely lifted off the ground. He held her so she faced him and with a well humored eye roll she gripped his shoulder with one hand the back of his neck with the other.

"Be careful. And try not to be rude," she murmured with a smile, kissing his cheek.

The King gently grasped her jaw and guided her lips to his, kissing her soundly for several moments before slowly lowering her to her feet. He then dropped into a squatting position and stared at her swelling belly. Completely against her wishes he rucked the skirt of her dress up around her hips, leaving her lower half completely exposed. She was tired and the fight she put up was half assed, but it was the thought that counted. When he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her abdomen her stomach fluttered at the show of affection. She hadn't prepared for this part of what _had_ been their… physical-but-business-esque relationship. Everything reasonable in her continuously screamed not to fall for him, that he was an insane megalomaniac obsessed with power and that this post-world-takeover-honeymoon couldn't last forever… But the little Queen couldn't help it. She was carrying his baby and though was wont to admit it, she was beginning to believe that he carried her heart. Tentatively she stroked his hair, her cheeks flushing as he looked up at her.

"We'll be fine, Loki. I promise."

He stood and nodded curtly, bending to give her one last kiss.

"See that you are. 48 hours, little peach. You know I'll come for you."

She laughed and gently pushed him towards the door, which was wildly ineffective due to her lack of stature. In rare form, he gave her a small, but genuine grin and departed for the lobby, where a car was waiting outside to take him to their newly acquired second jet.

x

After a long flight, all Annalise wanted was a shower and a nap. She got neither. Instead, the agents, led by Barton, ushered her into the conference room at the Palácio do Planalto to meet with the president of Brazil as well as several prominent Chitauri leaders who could communicate more or less in English. After pleasantries were exchanged, they moved on to matters of business.

"Since the Chitauri reformed the police squad in Rio, crime has dropped by seventy percent," the president announced proudly.

Annalise let out a sigh of relief as the leaders continued listing off improvements. She came armed with other plans of action, but she was delirious after the long flight and her back hurt. And she kind of wanted her husband. Not that she would _ever_ admit that to another living soul. But she wanted him and wanted to go home.

Annalise's train of thought was disturbed by several loud bangs and instinctually her hands protectively flew to her belly. Yelling and several shrill screams caused the President to pause, mouth open in mid-sentence. When her face went white and she dropped down to her knees seeking shelter, immediately Barton and his men stood, manhandling Annalise underneath the conference table. Using their bodies as a barricade between the unseen threat and their Queen, they drew their own weapons.

Annalise, disgruntled at having been stowed like cargo, was relieved to see Chitauri file the room, though it was odd their weapons were drawn. She got up off her knees and made to rise until she watched with confusion as the new group of aliens began arguing with those already seated around the table. The Chitauri chattering grew loud and frenzied as the alien leaders she had been meeting with motioned between her and then the other group of beasts. A shrill screech sounded and suddenly the second group cocked their weapons and fired openly. She cringed and covered her ears. She'd been in Stuttguart, she'd been taken by and then rescued from the Avengers… But she'd never been in such close proximity to so many shots. Her ears rang from the gunfire and her thoughts were delayed. Everything seemed as if it were happening in slow motion. She watched Barton and his team respond, raising their guns and systematically killing the first wave of four rogue aliens. An agent went down and Annalise watched in horror as the Brazilian President rose in an attempt to escape from the room, but took a shot to the chest and lifelessly fell to the ground. Everything was so surreal. The stench of gunpowder invaded her nose and sinuses as she clenched her fists in fear and anger as a second wave of Chitauri entered the conference room, weapons cocked.

Barton stepped forward.

"Leave now or we'll be forced to tell the King of your infractions," he ordered grimly, his gun already trained on what appeared to be the lead creature. They clicked amongst themselves, pointing at Annalise and Barton. One nodded and before the argent could squeeze a shot off, a Chitauri fired at Barton and hit him in the gut, then once more with a headshot. His men shouted and returned fire, taking down several of the rogue Chitauri, but a spray of blue bullets from their superior weapons slew the remaining agents.

"No!"

Annalise couldn't help herself. She knew she was being wildly foolish as she crawled out from beneath the table to Barton's side, but she was fairly certain bullets could no longer kill her. According to Loki, they were painful, but not deadly.

A tear trickled down her cheek as she held his warm hand in hers. The girl was in complete shock. It wasn't that they were particularly close, but this man had been with them since the beginning… He was Loki's right hand. He was there to keep her safe. Barton was her protector, her baby's protector. And now he was gone. Never had she felt more vulnerable in her entire life.

Shakily she curled an arm around her middle.

"Leave now and I'll ask the king to spare your lives," she commanded gravely from the floor.

For a moment, she thought her request had been successful. A chunk of the aliens peeled off from the rest, exiting the conference room, but then she caught sight of a large shadow looming in the doorway. The cloaked man it belonged to strode forward and the remaining aliens shuffled to provide him a path. The Other approached Annalise, his lipless mouth forming something that resembled a sneer.

"So you are the insignificant creature that imbecile King holds so dear."

This was who Loki feared, the creature he had tricked. The Other. Her heart fluttered. He hadn't killed her yet, was she meant to be used as bait?

"The King holds nothing dear. You know that," she retorted, praying that he believed her.

"Do not waste my time lying to me, little girl. I can sense the life inside of you. The imbecile's bred you, has he?"

Annalise grit her teeth. She could only take so many insults before her temper got the best of her.

"No, he has not."

The beast advanced upon her, grabbing Annalise by the hair and yanking the poor girl to her feet, causing her to yelp.

"Do not lie to me," he growled.

The Queen stared at him defiantly.

With a cold laugh he released her hair, dropping her back to the ground.

"Collect the girl and bring her with us."

On principle Annalise struggled against the creatures that yanked her up by either arm, but got nowhere. She'd only been in Brazil for 36 hours. She prayed the next 12 passed quickly and that Loki would soon come to find her.

x

The a second after 48 hours passed, Loki was on his way to Brazil. His little Queen was going to suffer immensely for making him worry so. The girl was charming, but political negotiations took time and during a regime change discussion could take weeks.

He waited on the jet while his agents filed out to retrieve his wife. She was going to receive an earful, that was for sure. He stiffened when he heard yelling followed by gunfire. Quickly he disembarked, heading for the Palácio. His heart pounded when he saw that both human and Chitauri bodies littered the lobby. The King grimaced in disgust he stepped over them, making his way to the conference room. His little Queen was strong, he reminded himself. She had Asgardian blood pumping through her, thanks to the baby as well as his contributions. Even if she was shot, she would suvive. She had to.

Still-wet blood smeared the floor and the King almost lost his balance as he walked through it, but elegantly righted himself and continued trekking to where he expected to find his wife.

When he came upon the meeting room, the first thing he saw was Barton's body. His stomach sank. _No._ This wasn't possible. He began moving from body to body, looking for Annalise's tiny form amongst the beasts and human men.

"Find her," he barked.

He heard a moan and quickly his agents rushed to the side of a blue-eyed human dressed in SHIELD gear.

"They took her," he gasped, holding his bloody side.

"Where?"

Loki's voice was emotionless. Had she been there, Annalise would've pinched him for being so insensitive to the dying man's condition.

"The Other, he was here. You're expected to come for her," the injured man wheezed.

x

Upon returning home, Loki destroyed nearly a quarter of the newly renovated Waldorf Palace. Priceless paintings lay in shreds, furniture reduced to kindling and massive chunks of what used to be marble columns littered the ground.

The King sat amidst the rubble, seated what still slightly resembled a chair as he stared into the fire before him. The Tesseract was _his_. It was the key to his throne. However, he already had the throne. It was irrevocably his, there was no one that could take it from him. He had a loyal army of powerful aliens and the allegiance of many Midgardian sub-realms. He was secure now, with or without the artifact.

Annalise was also his. Their baby was _his._ And he couldn't return the Tesseract to the Other and expect to be spared, let alone his wife and unborn child. He needed the infuriating, tiny woman and he wasn't sure why. She soothed him, kept his anger and wrath mostly in check. The woman was an asset, but more importantly, she was _his_ asset. He would get her back.

x

Thor dismounted as he came to the end of the Rainbow Bridge.

"Heimdall," he boomed in greeting, striding forward.

The other man didn't s mile.

"Your brother's wife has been taken from him."

Thor tilted his head, confused.

"The Avengers rescued the human from Loki, then? Is that not a good thing?"

Heimdall shook his head.

"No. She was taken by The Other."

"Ah, wonderful. So the Avengers must rescue her and simply return her to her country of origin?"

Again, the golden man frowned and shook his head.

"You don't understand her role, My Prince. She and their child are King Loki's tether to reality. The girl is no longer a butterfly to be set free. She belongs with him."

Thor's brows raised.

"She's pregnant? With his abomination—."

Heimdall interrupted.

"My Prince, under her influence, Loki has acted less rash and with more care than I have ever seen from him. Even as a child, he was never one for compassion. Something changed in him, and it is because of the girl and the child within her."

Thor hesitated. The hero in him wanted to keep Annalise far away from Loki and somewhere safe where he'd never find her, but his Jane lived on Midgard and if this was an opportunity for something that even remotely resembled peace…

Heimdall gazed down at Midgard from his station on the Bifrost. Though Thor couldn't see what the other man was looking at, he followed his gaze. His fist tightened around Mjölnir.

"Can you see him?"

Heimdall nodded.

"How is he?"

The golden man shook his head. "If she is not returned to him, he will destroy Earth. Should she perish… He will rain chaos upon any realm that gets in his way until he has finished The Other."

The Prince nodded solemnly. "Then I will retrieve her."

Heimdall glanced up at Thor, his golden eyes deadly serious. "She must live."


	17. I'm on a Ride

Thor traveled through the Bifrost to New York the next day. The Prince was impressed with what he found. Though many of Central Park's trees had been decimated in The Attack, the city had laid down fresh sod and new landscaping. Though Manhattan was still out of order (reconstruction of the skyscrapers had begun but in their current state they towered over nothing), most of the animals from the Bronx Zoo had been located and returned to their exhibits. LaGuardia was still out of commission on account of one of the huge Chitauri slug-like aircraft lay in ruins on what were Terminal B and C, but Thor witnessed several plane landings while passing JFK. More or less, New York City was functional.

Upon entering the Waldorf, he knocked out seven of Loki's Chitauri and three agents in order to get to his brother. Apparently they had orders to fire at will if the God of Thunder made an appearance. A second squad of chittering aliens skittered into the lobby, clicking amongst themselves and pointing at Thor. The Prince tightened his grip on Mjölnir and prepared to swing when the Chitauri squealed and dropped their guns, shaking their ugly little heads. They motioned for Thor to follow them through the doors to the Throne Room. There, the King sat on the golden throne, his long legs splayed wide open as he glared.

"Go home," growled Loki

"I am here to aid in the retrieval of your woman."

"I have no need for assistance."

"Do you know where to find her?"

Loki hesitated, straightening in his seat. Again, Thor spoke.

"I had good Heimdall locate your wife, brother. I know where she is."

Loki perked at the news, then quickly dropped the hopeful expression and nonchalantly pushed his hair back from his face. Slowly he nodded.

"If you insist."

Thor looked over his shoulder and motioned at the pile of groaning agents and aliens near the doorway.

"Have you fresh men?"

The King chuckled. Watching his brother bowl his men over had been mildly irritating, but thoroughly entertaining. Nodding, he summoned a Chitauri soldier and gave orders to gather a small troop and to ready the aircraft.

x

Becoming Queen had officially rubbed off on Annalise. In the midst of her kidnapping, she did not scream and fight as she once would. Instead, she settled for a single stiletto stabbing of one of the Chitauri and called it a day. The girl didn't have a thorough understanding of Chitauri anatomy, but she was pretty sure the creature wouldn't be walking independently for some time.

To the best of her knowledge, she was currently inhabiting some sort of Brazilian… sex motel. The room was decked out with mirrors on every surface save for the floor. A glass partition separated the bedroom from a large Jacuzzi and when she had turned on the TV, every channel featured different shades of copulating couples. The room was surprisingly clean, but she still couldn't bring herself to sit on the bed. She opted for a chair instead.

Annalise had been sitting alone for _hours._ She caught herself nodding off again and again. Never had a dubiously sanitary bed looked so inviting, but she refused to let herself sleep. She needed an escape plan. Anxiously she tapped her foot, racking her brain for a way out. Easily distractible, she caught a glimpse of an errant silk thread on one of her shoes. Plucking the Louboutin from her foot, she picked at the golden strand when the sound of a key in the lock made her jump.

With a hand on her belly and the other ready to launch the shoe at her captors, the scent of food caught her off guard. Her stomach rumbled and she realized she hadn't eaten since the day prior. Kicking off the other heel, she clutched the first in her hand to use as a potential weapon. Resourceful, no?

A creature entered her room with a bag of what appeared to be food that smelled mouthwateringly divine. Hiding her shoe behind her back, she rose and held out her free hand, greedily accepting the bag and a bottled water. The Chitauri clicked something at her but she ignored it, she couldn't understand the beast anyway. As it turned, she paid careful attention to its armor. The Queen made special note of what looked like a small pistol strapped to the alien's calf. It shut and relocked the door, leaving her alone once more.

Annalise dug into the bag of food, pulled out something that looked like a turnover and groaned as she bit into it. It was fried and wonderful. As she ate, she paced and thought. Earlier that day her shoe proved a worthy weapon, but she'd gotten lucky. She couldn't rely on the brutal heel of the stiletto to break out. It was a nice idea, but not realistic. She needed that damn gun she saw on the Chitauri sooner rather than later. If she had to wait another twenty-four hours for them to come back in and feed her, she'd go insane.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, her hand hit something stiff. Her eyes widened. Her hair was still partially styled with pins. Immediately she yanked one out and rushed to the door, bending the metal open. She hadn't the faintest idea how to pick a lock, but she had nothing but time on her hands.

Twenty minutes later, she took a break. Her hands were cramping. Pushing herself to her knees she managed to stand, unsteady on her feet. Annalise took a deep breath while flexing her tired fingers. She nibbled at her food and took a few sips of water before returning to her task. An hour and three more breaks later, the lock _finally_ popped. Groaning in relief, Annalise pushed up off the floor and glanced around the room. She took one more bite of her pastel and finished the water, then deposited them in the garbage. Grabbing her shoes, she headed to the door. Goodbye, creepy sex room mirrors.

To her surprise, once opened the door led to a private entrance. Glancing from side to side she tiptoed out, shielding her eyes from the bright sun. Sticking close to the building walls, she padded through grassy landscape in an attempt to find... something. What was useful when you were the newly escaped Queen of Midgard? Not daring to stop, she continued scaling the wall. When she turned a corner she gasped, immediately clapping her free hand over her mouth. Two Chitauri turned towards her, clicking at each other. Desperately she wanted them to get closer so she could make a grab for one of their weapons, but she didn't have a chance in Hel in overpowering the aliens. Instead, she turned and ran. Annalise tore through vegetation that bordered on jungle until she was forced to stop. A small, familiar aircraft blocked her way.

Several hundred yards away, she caught sight of Thor swarmed but Chitauri. However, he looked as if he had the upper hand. The aliens were literally flying in all directions as he wielded Mjölnir. Annalise pivoted when she heard a familiar growl to find Loki pressed up against a tree. Two huge Chitauri held his arms as The Other gripped his throat, squeezing mercilessly. Her stomach rolled in horror. Her husband was turning blue.

Annalise took off. Working up speed, mid-run she slid to the grass feet first so she careened towards the Other. Gripping her shoe at the toe with an iron fist, she wound and swung, sinking the heel into the monster's leg as he held Loki against the tree. With a roar he released the King, his attention switched to the Queen on the ground and he backhanded her, launching her petite body away from him.

In the midst of the confusion, Loki broke free of the Chitauri and snatched the scepter from the ground. Quickly he executed the aliens and turned the beast. While The Other watched Annalise fly through the air, Loki lunged forward, plunging the spear tip into chest. The creature stumbled, his eyes wide as they flicked to Loki. The King parried when The Other swung and after a moment the beast fell to his knees. Loki violently wrenched the spear from the creature's chest before driving it into his throat with a guttural growl as The Other collapsed. For at least a minute the King stared at the body on the ground, daring it to get up so he could run it through once more. It twitched once or twice, then lay completely still, eyes open and glazed over.

Satisfied that The Other was dead, Loki whirled on the group of Chitauri that betrayed him. He advanced.

"Benevolence is not in my nature, but I have tried for the sake of my kingdom. However, your betrayal has damned you," he hissed.

The creatures began to retreat but the King fired off shots of blue energy from his scepter that injured and slowed the beasts down enough for him to thoroughly dismember each and every one of traitors that participated in the capture and ransom of his Queen. Panting heavily, he spun and rushed to Annalise once he was sure all of the alien creatures were finished. He didn't dare breathe as he slowed, dropping to his knees next to her. He almost collapsed in relief when he saw her chest rise and fall with shallow breaths. He cradled her head and propped her up, her head lolling back as she lay limp in his arms. He quickly looked her over, running his hand over her swollen belly.

"Annalise," he murmured, stroking her hair from her face. Slowly her eyes cracked open and grew wide upon seeing him. She looked as though she wanted to embrace him, but she was wary. She thrashed, only to have each of her little fists caught by Loki. The girl growled and glared dubiously at the man that looked like her husband.

"How do I know it's really you?"

Loki looked down for a moment in thought. When he returned her gaze, the corner of his mouth quirked up.

"The night before we married, you tried to obliterate me with your engagement ring. And then there was the _christening_ of the dining table."

The little Queen sagged against him, clinging to his neck as she simultaneously laughed and burst into tears of relief.

He smirked and stroked her cheek with the back of a knuckle. After a moment, his face dropped and his brows furrowed. His tone was accusatory.

 _"Did you escape?"_

Annalise hesitated and looked away, shrugging her shoulders.

"I didn't do a very good job, but I tried. Kind of."

The King scowled down at her as his hands openly roamed her body, though likely for the first time not sexually. The concern on his face made her heart flutter as he checked her over for injuries. Her mouth was cut where The Other had struck her, but otherwise she had been incredibly lucky. To her knowledge, nothing was broken and though the air had been knocked from her when she landed on her back, she was able to protect the baby from the brunt of the fall.

"You should not have done that. You put both," he worriedly stroked her belly, "of you at risk."

The Queen placed her hand over his and stuck out her chin.

"Self-preservation, my King. Besides, I believe I've been thoroughly pumped full of your Asgardian… essence. Nothing hurts as it should after a blow like that."

Loki nodded and visibly relaxed in relief.

"My little peach. I suppose I should expect nothing less than an impromptu escape attempt."

Loki stood, hefting her up into his arms. She squirmed, demanding he let her walk, but he refused to lower her to the ground and silenced her with a stern glare.

Not loving the damsel-in-distress look but completely and utterly exhausted, Annalise eventually complied. She twined her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder as he rose and headed to the plane, barking orders at his men to ready the aircraft.

His pace was slow, almost delicate, as if not to jar her. Wiping her short-lived tears away she rolled her eyes and lifted her head so she could look him in the eye. It was incredibly strange to be on his eye level.

"You can walk normally. I'm not going to break."

"You don't know that," he huffed, maintaining an agonizingly slow pace, which truly wasn't all that slow because of his long stride, but Annalise was impatient to get back to New York.

The girl snorted and lay her head back down, burying her face in his neck and breathing deeply. He smelled like home. Crazy, despotic, bossy home, but home nonetheless. Boarding the plane's inclined ramp, Loki took a hesitant breath. She heard him open and close his mouth.

"What?"

"Before we get back to the palace, there's something you should know."

The Waldorf had been the United States' wedding gift to them. He felt guilty for demolishing part of it.

She shifted, raising her head as he sat with her in his lap. When she attempted to slide off into a seat of her own he held her fast, nonchalantly keeping her prisoner on a plane that was rightfully half hers. Tilting her head, she narrowed her eyes.

"What did you do?"

"I may have destroyed a wing of the Waldorf while you were away."

Gently she smacked his chest and he chuckled, relieved that his penance seemed to consist of only the insignificant whack.

"They'll rebuild it," she yawned.

Loki nodded, idly stroking her hair. She squirmed until she was perched sideways with her legs draped over his lap and once again lay her head against his chest. She mumbled something about thank you for rescuing her, but it was slightly slurred with exhaustion. Slowly her lids fluttered shut. Loki glanced down.

"Oh no you _do not_. Stay awake until you've had something to drink. You are not full Aesir. You still have some human needs."

The Queen groaned and turned her face against his chest but Loki gripped her chin as an agent handed him an uncapped bottle of water.

"Drink. This is for both of you."

When she tried to wrestle the bottle from his hands he ignored her and instead brought it to her lips and tilted.

She drank, pushing his hand away when she'd had enough. Annalise grumbled while he let her breathe before force-feeding her several more gulps. When she refused more he handed the bottle back to the agent and wrapped his arms around her, ensuring that she could go nowhere aside from his lap.

She fell asleep quickly, leaving Loki alone with his thoughts. A deep rumbling voice cleared his throat behind the King. Loki turned, but only so much as to not move his wife.

"Ah, Thor," he hesitated as the Prince took a seat next to him. Loki sat up straighter and cleared his throat.

"Thank you, brother. For your aid," he grit. This was agonizing. The King sighed. "She," he paused and looked down at his sleeping Queen, "… is valuable."

Thor gave a knowing smile.

"You are welcome, brother."

x

Annalise sighed as she towel-dried her hair, looking in the bathroom mirror. Never had a shower felt better. Being kidnapped was disgusting. There was no time to dilly dally with showers. Hanging up her towel she exited the bathroom, wandering nude to her bureau to fetch something to sleep in. She was cut off as she tried to pass the doorway.

"Have you had enough time to recuperate?"

His voice startled her, making her heart race. She turned curiously towards Loki, brow arched.

"Um, yes? I think so?"

"Good."

He advanced quickly, herding her against the bed. Her brows raised in confusion until he picked her up and set her on the raised mattress, considering her thoroughly. His brow creased.

"I told you not to go to Brazil."

She groaned and rolled her eyes.

" _That's_ what you needed to tell me? I'm delirious, let me get ready for bed."

Annalise pushed against his chest in another attempt to jump off the bed so she could reach her dresser. He tutted and firmly gripped her hips, keeping her in place. Loki kneed her legs apart, spreading them widely as he stepped between them. The King sighed. Stalling for a moment, he traced his fingertip along her collarbone.

"No, I suppose that is not what I desired to say. Not that it is not true. I just—I… apologize."

She nodded wearily as he ran his hands along her swollen middle. He hesitated.

"I am glad. That you are unhurt."

Annalise huffed with a laugh and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his chest.

"Thank you for rescuing me," she mumbled.

"They took what was mine. Of course I rescued you," he growled.

The Queen shivered and leaned back to look at his face.

He wet his lips with his tongue, an action that never failed to make Annalise squirm with longing, much to her dismay. His eyes narrowed.

"And _you're_ _mine_."

Her cheeks flushed with arousal and she nodded dumbly, her voice caught in her throat. He said it with such earnestness. She'd pay money to see someone challenge his claim again. Loki would skin them alive.

The King leaned forward and captured her mouth with his. She moaned, fisting his crisp, white shirt in her hands as she kissed him back with fervor. Loki buried his hands in her silky chestnut hair, taking complete control as he drank from her mouth greedily.

"I killed them all for you," he muttered against her lips.

"I know," she whispered.

With a whimper, Annalise tore at his belt and buttons, causing her husband to smirk against her mouth.

"Patience."

Defiantly she shook her head, yanking at his shirt until several buttons went flying. The King chuckled, tilting his head to kiss her even more deeply as he pushed her back on the bed and followed her down. Impatiently the girl dug her heels into the mattress to arch herself against him but his chilly hand slid down her middle, over her rounded belly to her pelvis and he forced her hips back down. She moaned in relief when she heard the clink from the metal of his belt as he dropped his trousers to the floor and kicked them aside. Somehow she managed to yank the rest of the buttons off his shirt and impatiently pushed it off his shoulders. Running her hands over the hard planes of his chest, she squirmed beneath him.

Currently, she was beyond words. Annalise managed to growl at him, but that only earned her a grin. Loki collected each of his wife's wrists in one hand and held them above her head as he flipped her over onto her belly. He roughly grasped her hips, pulling her back until his cock pressed against her rear as she knelt. Loki moved her wrists behind her back, despite her minor struggling. She turned her head so that the side of her face pressed against the bed.

With a swift, brutal thrust, he was buried inside her. She cried out when he refused to move, defiantly grinding her rear against his pelvis until he swatted her bottom firmly. Careful not to rest his weight on her much smaller frame, he leaned over so that his chest grazed her back and his mouth was next to her ear.

"I could keep you like this for hours," he hissed. "You have no idea how pleasing you look in this position, especially with my cock buried inside you."

Propped up on one hand, he released her wrists from the other and slid his cool fingers to her belly.

"This also pleases me," he growled, running his hand over her swollen tummy.

Her stomach muscles quivered as he stroked her and it took all of her strength to keep from collapsing beneath him, simply because she was so overwhelmed by his voice and touch. She could only whimper in response. When he withdrew suddenly she whined at the loss, only to be forced forward with the strength of his thrust back home. Loki set a brutal pace, slamming against her rear with such a force that he was required to relinquish his hold on her belly in order to anchor her to him with his hands tightly grasping her hips.

As his length rubbed teasingly against the bundle of nerves inside her, his sac slapped repeatedly against her clit. Unable to help herself, Annalise arched her back and spread her knees even further apart as she offered herself to her husband. With a greedy groan he reared back, hammering his hips into her with all his might.

In the back of her mind, she idly considered their volume levels. It was far too late to remedy now, but they needed to do something about soundproofing the walls so she didn't traumatize her charges. With Loki, she could never keep quiet. She could bite her lip and clench her fists all she wanted, and her efforts were completely useless when his shaft was buried inside her.

Annalise's head tilted forward, she no longer had the strength to hold it up as the coil in her belly threatened to spring. White hot warmth gathered at the base of her spine as she exploded, radiating pleasure throughout her entire body. She screamed as Loki fucked her through her orgasm with long, brisk strokes. When he didn't relent, she cried out, squirming beneath him from too much stimulation. He grunted and held her still, continuing his unforgiving pace.

"It's too much!"

Her words were completely useless. Loki smirked and leaned forward once more, keeping one hand on her hip and the other wrapped in her hair.

"It is never too much, little peach. Not when it comes to you."

The hand on her hip slipped between her legs and she screamed as he gently, but very insistently, rubbed her clit. The poor girl bucked and squirmed as he overloaded her with sensation, and after several more thrusts the pressure in her lower belly built once more. Unable to control her movements, she gave in and relaxed to the best of her abilities, letting her body move and jerk as it needed to while Loki fucked her ruthlessly. The pressure he applied to her clit was still uncomfortable, but the longing in her tummy overwhelmed her with need. Involuntarily her hips began to buck. She was torn between pushing back against him and thrusting her core against his hand. In the end, it didn't matter. Loki fucked her so thoroughly her vision went dark around the edges as he circled his talented fingers around her pearl and propelled his hips forward. She shrieked once more, completely losing control as she felt herself gush over his pumping cock.

She couldn't be sure, but Annalise was fairly positive her husband whispered words of praise in her ear as she came for him a second time, coming all over his length and both of their thighs.

Fighting exhaustion, the Queen shook beneath Loki, and despite his need to fuck her into the next millennia, he registered his wife's need for a break. With a bruising grip he held her in place by her hips and let loose, hammering into her without rhythm as his head fell back and he roared. Annalise couldn't help but groan as she felt him flood her pussy with his seed, and despite her delirium she happily did her best to hold still as Loki pumped every last drop inside her.

With a groan of fatigue, he eventually pulled out of her, making her whine. He gave her a gentle pat on the rear as he crawled to the center of the bed and collapsed on his side, easily dragging her with him and maneuvering her so that he spooned her. Annalise opened her mouth to speak, but her body had yet to fully reconnect to her brain. She stuttered a few times before giving up and instead dragged his arm across her middle, wiggling back until she was flush against him. With a contented sigh, her eyes slipped shut as she felt her husband's hand gingerly stroking her tummy.


	18. Taste of Your Lips

After her kidnapping, Loki refused to allow Annalise out of the Waldorf despite her indignant protestations. She stood in the middle of her room, hands on her hips as she glared at her husband.

"You are indefinitely on bedrest."

Annalise blanched, "You don't even know what that is."

Loki narrowed his eyes, "Perhaps the specifics are unknown to me, but you are in need of it, of that I'm sure."

The King strode towards her and easily lifted her off her feet, carrying his squirming wife to their bed and gingerly setting her on the mattress before promptly pinning her down.

"You will obey me in this. You are willful and obstinate which I allow against my better judgement because you are my Queen, but this is nonnegotiable, Annalise."

Squirming for a moment more, she took in his earnest expression. Her glare eventually softened and she nodded in surrender.

From then on, Loki insisted on overseeing her care. The King assembled a team of five OB/GYNs, two Internists, and a slew of nurses, techs and technology to monitor her around the clock. _Mostly_ around the clock. Loki wasn't above debasing his wife while on "bedrest;" he continued pumping her full of his coveted Asgardian essence. When such occasions arose, he simply cleared their rooms of all medical personnel. Because Annalise wasn't on bedrest for a medical reason (aside from Loki proclaiming her unfit for general movement) her care team approved Loki's sexual escapades.

Despite her beyond-qualified birthing squad, Loki insisted on watching over her whenever able. Often she'd wake to his penetrating gaze bearing into her from across the room, as was the current situation. The heavily pregnant queen sleepily rolled over with a deep inhale, rubbing her eyes and stretching. She gasped when she saw the gleaming green eyes of her husband who was seated in the corner of the darkened room, his gaze focused on her. Annalise buried her face in her hands in frustration.

"Loki," she groaned.

"Yes?"

"I'm just sleeping. You don't have to watch me. You almost gave me a heart attack."

Immediately Loki stood and made his way to the door.

"Pregnancy raises the risk of heart attacks. Let me fetch a doctor," he stated over his shoulder.

"I was being sarcastic!"

He shook his head and reached for the door handle, "I'm ensuring your safety, Annalise. Both of yours."

She'd had enough of his being a mother hen. "Don't you dare leave this room," she hissed.

Loki froze mid-step and spun slowly, quirking a brow at Annalise, "Issuing orders is not part of bedrest, my dear."

"But it's part of being your Queen, and more importantly, your wife."

The King hesitated as he twisted his wedding band around his finger before finally nodding. He strode to his plush chair in the corner but Anna's clear voice stopped him in his tracks.

"If you insist on watching me, would at you least come to bed?"

"I can see you better from here," he explained as he situated himself.

"I know you can. Get in bed," she snapped.

She could _feel_ him hesitate.

"Loki, I'm hormonal and pregnant and tired. Please, just come lay with me."

There was a moment of silence before the King conceded with a heavy sigh, rising regally from his chair and crossing the room. He toed off his boots, unbuttoned the top of his shirt and crawled onto the canopied bed next to his wife.

"Come here," she rolled onto her side and held her arm out behind her, reaching for him. Loki crawled across the bed, taking her hand, which she wrapped around her belly as he slid his body behind hers.

"Thank you," she murmured as her eyes fluttered shut.

Loki made a noise somewhere along the line of a grunt as he propped his head up on his hand, staring at her intently as if she would suddenly rise and run away. Idly he rubbed her belly, soothing both himself and his wife. She wiggled, scooting herself closer to him as he held her. _He had come so far as a spouse,_ she thought with a sleepy smirk as she drifted back to sleep.

x

Annalise was rudely awoken by a spirited kick to her bladder a few hours later. Grumbling, she stumbled to the bathroom and did her business, stopped to wash her hands and wiped them dry on her nightgown as she padded back to bed. When the first strike hit, she managed to catch herself on a bedpost, but the second knocked her to her knees. Her ears rang and she was too stunned to hear Loki fretting as he jumped from the bed to her side. She groaned, completely disoriented and confused. Annalise tried to get up but faltered, falling against Loki as he helped her onto her feet. Another blast shook the room and startled both of them, but Loki refused to address the attack or so much as make eye contact with his wife until he quickly checked her body for harm. Finished with his exam, he looked at her pointedly.

"You need to leave."

Annalise bit her lip, wary of separating from her husband. Despite the Asgardian DNA now woven into her makeup, providing her with a stronger and more durable body, she had no fighting skills and would only be in the way when it came time for combat, assuming that was the direction things were heading. And that seemed pretty viable. With a nervous sigh, she nodded and glanced back towards the master bathroom.

"There's a titanium panic suite hidden behind our bathroom," she murmured.

Loki took a moment to look at his little Queen in awe, pleased at her brilliance in self-preservation and preparation in creating a safe haven within the castle.

"Good girl. Go," he reluctantly pushed her towards their bathroom.

She caught his hand and ineffectively pulled on his arm until he got the message and closed the distance between them. She stood on her tiptoes and gripped his shirt, yanking him down to her level. Though her belly got in the way, they worked around it and she kissed him fiercely, surprising Loki as she molded her lips against his. He responded in kind. The two parted only when a fourth explosion echoed throughout the walls of their rooms. Annalise turned to flee but found herself stopping and looking over her shoulder.

"Be careful. Or I'll hurt you."

"Go, now, little peach," he murmured with a small smirk as he transformed into his armor. He grabbed a satphone and quickly punched in a number, then barked orders into the receiver.

She watched him for a moment longer before dashing to the panic room. She was surprised to find her gaggle of a medical staff, several Chitauri and a few stray agents waiting for her. A woman stepped forward.

"The King summoned us," said the nurse.

Grimly she nodded, rubbing a hand over her belly. Gaining admittance to the room only after all ten of her fingerprints were accepted, she stepped into the suite and ushered her crew inside before sealing the door behind her. Her stomach rolled. They should've known his rule had been too easy. They were fortunate her kidnapping was only that—And it seemed their luck had run out.

Ignoring another twinge in her lower belly, Annalise racked her brain for possible attackers, though she was fairly positive it was the Avengers. She began flipping every switch and pressing each button she could find, turning on lights, ventilation and monitors featuring twenty separate camera views of the interior and exterior of the Waldorf.

The Queen glanced around her. Had there been a source of natural light, the lofted area would actually be charming. The open space was gigantic, the immediate room fully furnished with a plush suede sectional and practical-for-disaster stainless steel light fixtures and tables. The secret quarters boasted both a master and spare bedroom, as well as two bathrooms with every toiletry one could ever need. She could see through the clear glass panels of the commercial refrigerator that the food they had was fresh; the beast of a machine was restocked on a weekly basis in case of emergencies such as that at hand. The Queen glanced warily at the huge generators in the corner next to the water reserve, which were prepared to filter in clean air and provide electricity should her palace lose power.

Turning back to the screens, she smoothed her hand over her belly in annoyance when she felt another pang. She caught sight of Iron Man hovering near the south wing, talking into a communication device on his wrist. Loki appeared to be issuing orders form their balcony, certainly because if Tony Stark was in her city, there was a good chance that the rest of the Avenger crew was near. Squinting, her eyes raked over the different screens, searching through the rubble with irritation for the source of the blasts. Anna caught sight of the back of the Black Widow scaling the still-intact far west exterior wall, mounting what looked like a block of C4. She glared. When would people stop destroying her blasted palace?

Idly Annalise rested a hand on her tummy, wincing as another uncomfortable sensation twisted in her abdomen. She toyed with a piece of hair, wrapping the soft strand around her finger while she gazed at the monitors in search of her people. She hadn't been able to hear any screams while she and Loki were in their rooms, and the monitor screens were still bereft of life aside from the Black Widow and Stark. She prayed her charges were safe. If the Avengers operated as they had in the past, civilian casualties were heavily avoided and she'd have been surprised if her people had been injured, but still wanted them to seek safety elsewhere. A wave of emotion hit her, making her chest tighten as she turned to the tallest of the aliens, and spoke quietly, bracing herself against the wall as a wave of dizziness washed over her.

"I need you to see everyone out of the Waldorf. Every civilian. Personally. Find a way out of the palace, away from the fighting. Evacuate them quickly and take them somewhere safe. Do whatever is necessary to ensure their wellbeing."

She fought to keep her voice from cracking. Her poor New Yorkers. None of them deserved this chaos. With a deep breath, she steeled herself and glanced back at the Chitauri. If not for a subtle gleam of intelligence in the creature's eyes, she wouldn't have thought it understood her. However, it bowed its head, chittered, and turned to leave. Annalise jumped when the cool fingers of a nurse grazed her elbow.

"My Queen—."

"Not now," Annalise muttered, scrubbing her face with her hand. She felt like she hadn't slept at all. When she felt another pinch in her lower back she cried out softly in surprise.

" _My Queen."_

"What!"

"You're going into labor, your Majesty," the nurse explained quietly.

"Oh, no. No, no, no." she glared down at her belly, adamantly shaking her head. "We are not doing this now. We're waiting until your father comes back so he can experience himself the result of pumping Mommy full of his Asgardian essence," she grit between clenched teeth as her lower tummy spasmed.

As if on cue, her water broke and she let out a string of expletives as it drenched the lower portion of her nightgown. In somewhat of a daze, she allowed her care team to herd her to the master bedroom and onto the bed as her first truly painful contraction ripped through her. She cried out, her fingers digging into the silk of the duvet which was surly ruined by now. Vaguely she heard someone coaching her on breathing, but she ignored them and titled her head back in frustration as the nurses tweaked her position on the bed until she was comfortable. Well, as comfortable as could be expected. Never had it occurred to her that Loki would be absent during the birth of their child. Her heart fluttered with anxiety as she came to terms with the fact that he not only was he going to miss it, but that he was missing it because he was off risking his life to defend their home.

x

Loki flexed his fingers around his glowing, blue-tipped spear as he surveyed the scene before him. Enough buildings still lay in ruin from the first Battle of New York that his view into Central Park was clear from his bedroom balcony. The Avengers, minus Thor, who was still in Asgard, it seemed, stood arranged in a semicircle around Captain America, who was surely giving them an inspirational pep talk. They were prepared for battle, respective weapons drawn, from firearms to shields to Stark's God awful armed machine-man. Their Hulk's beady eyes wandered to the King, and he glared angrily at Loki and his army as the beast gnashed his teeth, clearly eager for destruction and death.

Behind the team of merry of miscreants sat several of their aircrafts, all of which Loki decided would wreak glorious havoc once hit with explosive Chitauri blasts. At the thought, the King pursed his lips, annoyed at having to destroy parts of his city once again. Their coming to his _home_ was preposterous. That Black Widow wench blasted gaping holes in his palace, in his _wife's_ palace, and she was going to pay. They would all suffer greatly for jeopardizing the safety of his family. It would be weeks before he finally finished killing any of them, save for the Iron Man. His death would come today. The arrogant machine man had mocked Loki in Stuttgart, and he wasn't going to allow the imbecile to walk away this time. Benevolence no longer suited his ruling style. His dark nature threatened to poison the man he'd become.

Loki's knuckles turned white as his fingers curled around the spear, glancing back at the hordes of Chitauri gathered behind him. The King summoned only half of his American army, leaving the rest to maintain order in his largest cities. This battle wasn't about destroying New York City or conquering the world; he'd already done that. This time they assembled to aid him in bringing an end to the Avengers.

His alien creatures were eager for a fight. Organized in pairs and trios on their vehicles, they were armed with superior guns, nasty axes and gleaming swords. Loki ordered one of the mammoth airborne skeletal animals to be on standby in case the Hulk became unmanageable this time. At the very least, it would be enough of a distraction for him to capture several of their "heroes". The remaining whale-like savages rested safely beneath the ground, hibernating until he had use of them.

The sound of clicking caught his attention. He glanced at a monstrous beast at his side who had become his second in command since Barton's death.

"Destroy their aircrafts first. I don't want any of them escaping. Then distract the monster."

The King nodded at the general, who chittered at the other Chitauri. They all promptly rose on their Jet Ski-like flying machines and took off as a pack. Loki's mouth curled into a cruel smirk as the scene before him erupted into blasts of blue-white bolts of energy. He heard the Hulk roar and watched as it charged forward, batting at one of the airborne crafts. Several blasts of energy forced the creature back, stumbling like the oaf he was.

Loki mounted his own vehicle.

"Take me to them," he ordered the Chitauri manning the machine.

Immediately they rose and flew smoothly into Central Park. Loki leapt from the craft and landed gracefully on his feet, the fresh grass cushioning his jump. Confidently he strode forward as Captain America launched his shield at him, which he easily shot down with a bolt of blue from his spear, sending the defensive weapon flying. The Captain's attack was followed immediately by an aerial assault from Stark, which caught Loki off guard as he was forced to his knees by the formidable blast. Rolling out of the way of the second shot, Loki jumped to his feet and deflected yet another attack from the Soldier, but doing so distracted him so that Stark had time to rocket away, flying in an arc and gaining speed as he returned like a boomerang and bowled into Loki. The God flew backwards, smashing into the remains of an uprooted tree. Angrily he slashed at the mangled wood, cutting his way free and marching back the way he was thrown.

"Might as well give up. You're undermanned this time, Loki," Stark called from the air.

Loki smirked. The Iron Man had always been delightfully ornery. The King grasped his weapon tightly, urging power into the weapon as the tip glowed a brilliant blue. After several moments, as Stark flew at him once more, Loki launched a giant bolt of energy, this time sending his enemy flying. As the machine man landed, he heard a muffled voice with a British accent coming from the suit.

"Sir, your suit is on the brink of malfunction. Please return to Stark Tow—."

JARVIS cut out as Loki ripped the mask from Iron Man's face, glaring down at the surprised idiot.

"I've had enough of your games," Loki snarled as he nimbly gripped Stark with a hand on his jaw and the other on top of his head. Stark began to respond in sarcasm, but the King brutally cut him off as he snapped his neck. He heard several shouts of objection from the other Avengers, but he paid them no mind as he zeroed in on the Hulk. The green beast had taken out a quarter of his army. Chitauri, alive and dead, lay scattered on the freshly laid sod of Central Park. Shaking his head in disgust at the incompetence of his swarm, Loki strode forward.

The Hulk caught sight of the despot and carelessly flung the alien in his hands into a pile of smoldering rubble. It bounded forward, and though Loki got a shot off, the animal backhanded him several hundred feet away. With a growl Loki swiftly got to his feet and spun his spear in his hand, adjusting his grip as the monster lumbered forward once more. This time, he agilely dodged the Hulk's swipe, aiming a kick at the beast's knee. The animal roared in fury, but didn't falter. It appeared Loki's blow only served to enrage him further as he swung again, barely missing him.

Loki no longer cared to play games. As the green creature barreled towards him, Loki sent out three duplicates to distract it. As he'd hoped, the Hulk veered off to attack one of his doubles. Loki lingered nearby, waiting for an opportune moment to attack. Allegedly, the creature couldn't be killed. Loki sought to challenge that claim. When the animal opened his arms to smash, the King took advantage of his exposed chest. He leapt at the creature, burying the tip of the spear into its heart. It screamed in anger and fell backwards, but didn't die immediately. It twitched on the grass, and slowly its eyes reopened. This time, they glowed blue.

Loki smirked. So, it was true. The oaf couldn't be killed, but he wasn't immune to the energy of the Tesseract that powered his spear. The beast got to his feet, stumbling slightly as he caught his bearings.

"Hulk."

The curled lip was the only indication that the Hulk held onto anything remotely… _him_ as he turned obediently towards Loki.

The King motioned at the remaining Avengers.

"Collect them."

With a forced nod, the green creature surged forward, smashing the remains of an aircraft as he neared Captain America.

The death of Stark and the change in the allegiance of the green fiend seemed to dampen the spirits of the Avengers. Loki watched heartlessly as his army, aided by the Hulk, started bringing down the rest of their team. Quite busy luxuriating in his mayhem, Loki didn't hear the alien approach. When it clicked from behind him, he almost ran it through with his spear.

" _What?"_

The creature chittered and Loki stiffened, growing pale as it communicated.

"She's in labor? _Now?_ "

The beast nodded and motioned back at the Waldorf.

"Take me to her."

x

Loki wasted sixty seconds fighting with the identification panel that led to the panic room before hoisting his spear into the air, ready to drive it into the blasted machine when the door finally opened from the inside. A nurse ushered him in and he thrust his weapon into her hands as he removed his helmet. The poor woman spluttered and almost dropped the spear, which went very much ignored by the King as his long strides took him further into the suite. He wheeled around when he heard muffled curse words coming from one of the far rooms.

"Let me see her."

"This way, your Majesty," the woman bowed awkwardly, as if unsure how to show respect. She led him to the master bedroom, where he came upon Annalise sitting up in the bed, her cheeks pink from exertion and surrounded by staff. Anna swore again and clenched her eyes as one of the nurses counted as she pushed.

Loki was slightly horrified. Not by the view, but at the ordeal his wife appeared to be going through. In a rare instance, he was uncertain. What was his role? He was jarred out of his train of thought as his wife snapped at the flock of doctors and nurses, sending most of them scurrying away. He couldn't help but smirk. His little spitfire. His first step was tentative, but as he closed the distance between them, his confidence grew. Loki drew up a chair at her bedside, raising a brow when she tried to wave him off without looking at him.

"I will not leave, little peach."

He was certain he smelled like battle, of sweat and grime and blood from minor injuries, but it would take much more than a 5'2'' woman to drive him away. Annalise turned to growl at him as one of the women tried coaxing her into pushing again. Her brows, furrowed in concentration, rose in surprise as her eyes came to rest on Loki. Immediately her tiny hand shot out and sought his, squeezing as she heeded the woman demanding she push.

"Good girl," he spoke quietly, smoothing her hair from her face.

It took several more grunts and cries, but minutes later a tiny, squalling, pink form was placed in his wife's arms. Loki frowned and his chest tightened, a sensation unfamiliar to him as he watched the miniscule child in Annalise's arms.

"It's a girl," Anna crooned softly, stroking the baby's cheek with the back of her finger.

Loki leaned forward, wiping sweat from her brow and attempting to clandestinely catch a glance at his offspring. Though his actions were subtle, she immediately realized his intentions. Placing a kiss to the baby's forehead, she shifted towards her husband.

"Hold out your arms," she commanded softly.

Defiantly Loki's hands balled into fists, but the glare she shot at him prompted his fingers to relax. Obediently, to his dismay, he cautiously held out his arms.

"Hold her head," she said as she gently deposited the squawking infant into his capable hands.

Loki's heart all but stopped as he doubtfully clutched the bundle to his chest, fearful of harming her in some way. Annalise guided him so he held the baby securely, and confidently let them both go. His eyes grew wide in dread as the diminutive body of his daughter relaxed in his arms. After several moments, when she remained unbroken, the King finally began to relax. Though wavering, he offered his child a small smile as he became more sure of himself.

"I'm glad you're here," Annalise murmured sleepily.

The words he said under his breath were almost inaudible, but not quite. Her lips quirked into a smile as she drifted off.

"As am I."


	19. Toxic

With a soft coo, Annalise stroked her baby's face as the infant began to fuss. Astrid's chubby little hands reached for her mother's diamond-accented emerald earrings and she let out a loud squawk. Her temperament was like her father's, and the fact that Annalise was denying the child the precious stones was causing the little girl's green eyes to shine with anger. Her round cheeks turned red and with one last reach for the jewelry, she wailed and dissolved into tears as her mother patiently shifted the infant in her arms. Shannon, one of her charges (Loki had started referring to them as servants, which Annalise adamantly veto'ed), swooped in and collected the squalling baby from her Queen, for which Annalise graciously thanked her.

Annalise loved being a mother, but she was infinitely grateful for the opportunity to hand off her baby when her inconsolable shrieking echoed throughout the Waldorf, especially because no child of Loki's could be considered "easy" and effortless to soothe.

Annalise's heart swelled as watched Shannon cradle Astrid and walk her to their rooms, whispering comfortingly. Despite the baby's Asgardian blood, she was growing quickly. She resembled a healthy, (mostly) happy human child at what would be the same age. Astrid had her mother's pink pout and her father's glittering green eyes. Her hair was dark, but tinged with hues of same warm chestnut as Annalise's.

With one last glance at the modern-day nursemaid holding her child, Annalise turned and made her way to the lowermost level of the Waldorf in search of her husband. Her heels clicked on the cold stone floor as she descended to the basement. Loki requested it modeled it after the dungeons of the castle in Asgard, which meant there were no horrid stretching racks or crude steel cages. The cell walls were constructed of glistening, holographic wards that Loki put in place.

The Queen's fair skin broke out in goosebumps as the temperature dropped drastically. She pulled the collar of her jacket closer and shivered as she made her way past the cells. They were all empty, save for the six at the end of the row. The Black Widow, Captain America, Banner in human form, and a few SHIELD agents filled the magic prisons. She caught sight of her husband surrounded by chattering Chitauri, watching blue-eyed Banner sit and read a book on gamma radiation. She sighed. Not only were captives burdensome, but they appeared boring, as well.

The aliens parted like the sea when Annalise stepped closer, gently linking arms with her spouse, who was deep in conversation with his general. Though he didn't say anything to acknowledge her arrival, he placed his hand over hers and squeezed reassuringly.

Annalise truly tried to wait patiently, but between the less than entertaining prisoners and her inability to understand the Chitauri's speech, she cleared her throat louder than was necessary, which got her husband's attention. Loki excused himself from his men and guided her to a more private corner of the dungeon.

"You know I don't approve of you down here, Annalise," he growled quietly.

She huffed and stuck her hip out.

"I don't approve of you down here either, but here we are."

Unable to hide his smirk at her sass, Loki cupped the back of his wife's head and drew her in for a kiss. He left her breathless and dizzy, her punishment for going against his wishes and entering the bowels of the Waldorf. Teasingly he nipped at her jaw.

"Was there something you needed, dearest?"

Annalise panted, regaining her bearings after such a disarming act of affection. She cleared her throat again and pushed his mouth away. She couldn't think with it orbiting in such close proximity to hers.

"You've been down here all day. Astrid misses you. She was doing her "Daddy" cry when I left her just now."

A pang of guilt and desire to be elsewhere hit Loki square in the gut and he inhaled sharply. With practiced self-control, he pushed down the need to go to his daughter immediately. He fought daily to hide the weakness he had for his family and he would not give himself away now, especially not in front of the remaining Avengers. He straightened and nodded curtly.

"I'll tend to her when I am able."

They both knew he'd excuse himself shortly. The King of Midgard couldn't resist his tiny daughter's cries, especially when her wails specifically indicated that he was the only viable candidate to soothe her to sleep.

Annalise surveyed their surroundings and made a face in distaste. "Can we just go now?"

Loki's lips curled into amused smile.

"Patience, little girl. Allow me a few minutes."

He kissed her cheek before returning to his men.

Anna denied the fact that her heart fluttered in her chest as she watched him resume his role as King. He was powerful, brilliant, a little maniacal, and he made her kind of happy. A lot happy. Fighting the urge to sigh dreamily, she turned to leave when a low female voice broke the silence of her secluded corner.

"We know you didn't chose this, Annalise."

The little Queen froze.

"I beg your pardon?"

"We know he kidnapped you and forced you to help at Stuttgart."

Cautiously Annalise turned and eyed the Black Widow. Though she appeared harmless sitting on the floor of her cell with a book, the woman was a professionally trained assassin and even behind bars, she was dangerous.

"The world will be sympathetic to you and your situation once it's explained. They've seen how he is. I know you didn't ask for this," continued Romanov.

Anna's eyes narrowed into slits as she gazed into the Black Widow's dark chamber.

"You know don't know the first thing about me. You have no idea what he's like, so don't speak as if you do."

Despite the clipped response, Natasha's face remained placid.

"You must have forgotten what SHIELD stands for. We're an intelligence agency—."

"You _were_ an intelligence agency. Now, you are nothing. You're lucky my husband hasn't killed you."

She gave the other woman a tight smile. "I need to see to my family. Have a pleasant day, Agent Romanov," Annalise turned on her heel.

"If you have questions about your baby—About _what_ she is, or _what_ , exactly,you're married to, you know where to find me. I'm only offering to help you, Annalise. It's not too late to get out of this mess."

Standing still for a moment, she took a deep breath as Natasha's words echoed off the stone walls. She flexed her fingers and forced herself out of the anger she felt towards the other woman. The Black Widow was just baiting her. Holding her head high, Annalise fought the urge to look behind her as she made her back to her husband's side.

x

That night, Annalise twisted and turned in bed. No matter how she positioned herself, she couldn't relax next to Loki. Her mind raced as she thought about what the Black Widow said. The way she referred to "what" her husband was made him seem like an exotic being, which she didn't think he was. He acted and looked normal. Normal for him, at least. But, if she were honest, she truly didn't know much about her husband. He was powerful, rather self-centered, had a wicked temper, but wasn't completely unchangeable. When she needed to, she _could_ get through to him. He'd come far since they first met.

She glanced at her side. He was genuinely asleep, or he'd have halted her restless tossing with some vigorous mattress calisthenics. With a frustrated huff, she gave up on rest and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Slipping into a green silk robe, she checked on Astrid and glanced one last time at her sleeping King before quietly making her way downstairs.

The brilliant bit of possessing such a thorough knowledge of the Waldorf's new floor plans was that she knew how to reach the Avengers' cells with minimal detection. When she did run into a Chitauri guard, she merely put on her most authoritative expression with her chin raised and brow cocked commandingly and it let her pass without incident. As she made her way to the chambers she'd stood before earlier that day, her stomach sank. Romanov's was empty.

"Oh, dear," she whispered, her gaze flicking to each bare corner of the room. Was the woman _dead_? Had Loki killed her? He'd promised Annalise he'd leave the remaining Avengers alive.

"They're questioning her," Captain America offered from his cell.

Annalise jumped and whirled to face the cell next to Romanov's. The dark, muscled figure of Steve Rogers rising from his bed made her blush and look away, despite her shock.

"I forget there's little privacy when you live in a fishbowl," she murmured, glancing at the floor when he peeled the covers off himself to reveal that he slept in little more than boxers. He pulled on a t-shirt and approached her, grabbing a chair and getting as close to the shimmering force field walls as he dared.

"You get used to it," he shrugged. "You came looking for Natasha?"

"Yes... They're _questioning_ her?"

The blonde nodded with a quiet sigh.

"Loki likes to keep us on edge. We never know when we're going to be pulled for interrogation. She will likely be returned in a few hours. I'm sorry you missed her."

His sincerity was nauseating.

Nodding slowly, Annalise synched her robe tightly around her middle. She was feeling rather underdressed.

"Well, I'm sorry to have woken you, Captain. Goodnight."

His voice interrupted her departure once more.

"You wanted to talk with her about Loki?"

Annalise frowned, nodding.

"I apologize." In the dim light, it was impossible to be sure he was blushing, but Annalise was pretty positive he was. "I, er, overheard the two of you earlier. It was hard not to. I apologize for eavesdropping."

She quirked a brow and sized the man up. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his chin propped up on a fist. The Captain seemed as if he had something to say. Annalise was hesitant. He seemed kind and genuine, but he'd also tried to kill her husband on multiple accounts. At least Natasha was openly calculating.

"She seemed to have information on Loki that I might find helpful, that's all. I'm sure it was insignificant."

The Queen made to turn away once more.

"I can assure you it was anything but, ma'am."

She sighed resignedly as he reassured her the information was important, but neglected to share it. Her hands dropped to her sides. Though irritated, she was too curious to walk away.

"Then tell me. Or don't. I don't want to make a night of this."

Annalise stood primly before him, leaving several feet between herself and the humming wall that kept him caged. She tucked her hair behind her ear and tilted her head, listening expectantly.

"Well, ma'am, Loki… He's not of this realm."

A fresh wave of cool air hit the Queen and she shivered as she fought to keep her eyes from rolling. She knew this already. Her teeth threatened to chatter when she went to open her mouth.

"I-is that all you have to say? I already know he's from Asgard," she snapped. "If that's all you have to offer, then goodnight, sir. I'll be getting back to my husband, now."

A crisp, clear baritone cut through the freezing air.

"Perhaps you should first hear exactly what you'd be crawling back into bed with, my darling."

Wickedly cold fingers wrapped around Annalise's arm as Loki yanked her against him. The girl gasped, bracing her palms flat against his chest as he tugged her.

"Loki," she breathed as she ran her fingers down his rigidly tight abdomen. His entire body was tense.

"Annalise, my little Queen," he hissed against her ear, making her wince as she tried to work her arm from his grasp.

"I was just returning to you, my King."

His voice was harsh and frighteningly angry as he spoke.

"I'm sure you were, my traitorous little whore. But you missed your opportunity. Now, you'll be a grateful little wench if I ever allow back into my bed, won't you?"

Annalise cried out as Loki snatched wrist and wrenched her alongside him as he stormed to a cell blocks away from the Avengers'. He waved his free hand and the humming force field disappeared, then he motioned again and the room transformed into a luxe suite. A canopied king bed bedecked with decorative pillows appeared in the center and Anna tripped over the corner of an ornate Persian rug as Loki dragged her across the expanse and threw her onto it. Eyes wide in fear, Annalise clamored backwards against the pillows, crossing her arms over her chest as her husband magicked the wall back in place.

"I'll have to admit, I didn't expect this," he said as he advanced. "When the rebel Chitauri attacked in Brazil, I was irritated, but not surprised."

Her jaw worked up and down as she desperately tried to interrupt his toxic thoughts, but when he crawled onto the bed she was panting so hard from adrenaline that she couldn't speak.

"To think my little Queen would turn against me," he spat.

Her brows rose in shock and adamantly she shook her head, horrified and hurt that he would think she'd betray him. All she'd wanted was to learn about him, about their daughter.

"No! Loki, no. That's not what's happened! I'm sorry, I should've asked you myself instead of going to them. It's just that Romanov hinted at knowing more about your background, and I was curious—I got impulsive. I couldn't sleep so I came down here just to talk, I'm sorry."

He looked at her with narrowed eyes, then shook his head.

"I don't want to hear it," he said quietly, the ire in his voice clear. "I know what I saw, and that was you conspiring with the Captain, dressed in almost nothing." He tore at her robe, pulling it open and greedily taking in the sight of her in a lacy emerald slip.

Anger bloomed in her chest and Annalise's lip curled as she slapped at his hands.

"Don't you dare touch me, we're having a conversation!"

Loki blatantly ignored her and snapped the straps of her slip so that the thin material pooled around her middle.

"I woke in need of my wife's body, and her body I will have. Willing or not," he growled, pinning her wrists above her head.

Furious, Annalise lashed out at him with a foot, kicking him squarely in the ribs and sending him sprawling backwards. After birthing Astrid, she'd noticed a significant difference in her strength and physical endurance.

Loki held his side as he looked at her in disbelief.

"Look at you, my little Queen. You're stronger than before."

Annalise held up her fists, ready to knock some sense into her husband when she was interrupted by his laughter.

"Your temper is so endearing, darling. You have no idea how appealing you are when you're mad."

He flicked his hand and manacled chains shot out from the corners of the bed, snapping soundly around Annalise's wrists and pulling her so she lay flat on her back. With a shriek, she fought against her bonds, hissing in anger when Loki approached her once more.

"You may have grown powerful, little one," he purred as he crawled over her body, "but don't forget," he leaned in close so that his lips brushed against the shell of her ear, "You're married to a god."

Annalise couldn't help but shiver, the combination of the cold and Loki's threat proving to be simply overwhelming. She pulled desperately at her chains, earning a creak of metal, but nothing else.

"You'll not have me like this. Not when you're angry and accusatory and acting like a child!"

Her King smirked down at her, his eyes flicking back at forth between hers as he studied her. He brushed a piece of hair from her face and shook his head, the petulance vanishing from his expression, but the anger remained.

"You're _mine_. You're my property. You act as though you can control what's about to happen, kitten. You're smarter than that."

His lips ghosted along her jaw and when they reached her earlobe, he sucked it into his mouth, making her moan softly.  
"Loki," she whimpered.

"Hush, now. I'm going to enjoy myself while you sit pretty, do you understand?"

Perhaps the best way to get through to him was compliance until he was out of this mood. After a moment of hesitation, Annalise nodded.

"Good girl. Now, don't go anywhere."

Though he was no longer looking at her, Annalise shot him a glare. Loki was far more interested on the matching pair of panties that lay beneath the skirt of her slip. She begrudgingly cooperated when he tapped the side of her hip, indicating he wanted her to lift as he removed them. Carelessly dropping them to the floor, he picked up her ankle, held it to his mouth and ran his tongue over the slender bones, then nipped. She gasped, but forced herself to stay still as he worked his way up her leg. He kissed and bit along the length of her calf, licking behind her knee as he pressed her thigh to her chest. She grunted in mild discomfort as her muscles stretched, but that was quickly forgotten when he sucked a mark onto the flesh of her inner thigh.

"Loki," she moaned as he made his way to her center. "Stop."

Licking the crease where her thigh met her hip, she whimpered as she felt him smile against her skin. He parted her folds and hissed between his teeth.

"I forgot how aroused you get when fighting with me," he growled, nuzzling his nose against the soft skin of her mons. "Betray me more often."

"Shut u—Oooh!"

Annalise was rudely interrupted when his tongue delved between her folds, lapping and greedily tasting her moisture. His tongue explored, gliding everywhere but her now throbbing clit. Eventually his mouth wandered back to her thigh as he took his time kissing, licking and nipping the tender skin.

Between clenched teeth, she managed to ask, "I thought you wanted to fuck, not to go down on me. Why are you doing this?"

She felt a puff of warm air hit her skin as he chuckled.

"To remind you that I control your body," he murmured against her skin before biting down on her thigh.

She cried out, hips twisting as she tried to pull away. He issued a smart slap to her outer thigh and immediately she stilled with a whimper. Abandoning her leg, he settled himself before her and wrapped an arm around her thigh to hold her open as he lowered his mouth once more. Annalise uttered a high-pitched whine as she bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling, desperately trying to think of anything besides the man between her legs. She wanted so badly to refuse making noise as it only encouraged his antics, but her damn vocal chords had other plans. Her breath hitched as he bared her clit, blowing on the tiny bud before tasting it and using the tip of his tongue to push the hood back.

"See, I know you. I know what you like. I know how to make you do whatever I want, and right now, I want you to sing for me. My beautiful, traitorous wife."

Her nose stung and her eyes threatened to well with tears as he continued to drive home the point that he believed her to have deceived him, but when he wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked gently, her vision went white and her hips involuntarily arched off the bed. With a condescending laugh, he kissed the bud, moving his mouth to lave at her folds again. Though still chained, Annalise's hands clenched into fists as she tried to fight the delicious curling deep in her belly. She refused to orgasm for him when he was being so crass. Her body, however, was on another page. As he licked and tasted her, his tongue slipped inside her and she grunted, trying to keep her mouth closed to muffle her noises.

Loki took his time, not satisfied until he'd drawn out every sound he knew his wife could make when he touched her. He wanted all her cries, gasps, whimpers, and moans. He wanted to remind her how powerless she was compared to him, to remind her of the things he could _make_ her do. He kissed her clit, sliding his lips around it once more until he forced from her the familiar moan that signaled she was close. He suckled at her little bud with renewed vigor, torturing her with the tip of his tongue. With a scream, Annalise came. He pinned her hips to the bed when she tried to thrust against his face, and held her in place when she became overloaded with sensation as he kept teasing her. She yelped, whimpering and shaking her head as he plunged his fingers into her slick channel and fucked her to a second orgasm, his lips still sucking at her tender clit.

She gasped and pleaded with him to stop, feebly trying to kick him away. Loki growled and caught her foot this time, forcing it even higher against her chest as he surged forward, burying his cock deep inside her. Helpless, she looked up at him, her eyes hooded and her mouth open as she fought to catch her breath and fight him off at the same time.

"No," she rasped, which only earned her a grin.

"Yes," he countered as he pulled back, then slammed forward.

She gave a choked cry, trying so hard to stay silent and failing miserably as he began a steady rhythm. Having already brought her to a peak twice, Loki didn't have much patience for play, but he wanted to feel his wife come on his cock that night, so he slipped his hand between them and used her own slick to rub little circles around her clit. Still wildly sensitive, Annalise shrieked, trying to buck him off only for him to slam into her so hard her teeth chattered.

"You're going to come again," he crooned. "I don't care if it hurts, I don't care if you're too sensitive, I don't care if you don't want to. Now, come," he ordered, snapping his hips violently.

With a wail Annalise obeyed, the muscles of her pussy contracting violently around his cock as he made her fall apart beneath him. Loki growled in pleasure, a cruel smirk of satisfaction marring his features as his brow creased and he doubled his speed. With a roar, he came as well, flooding her cunt with his seed as he used her body to find completion. Both lay panting, Annalise with her face tilted to the side to avoid looking at her husband. Loki roughly gripped her chin and forced her to look at him, keeping his eyes open as he roughly pressed his mouth to hers. With a tired whimper, Annalise returned the kiss to the best of her ability. Her husband nipped and bit at her mouth, eliciting a pained whine, but she stayed still beneath him. When he'd had his fill of her mouth, he pulled away and surveyed his panting wife. He ran his fingers long the stretchmarks on her belly.

"I did this to you, didn't I? I like these." The muscles in her abdomen quivered as his fingers played about the surface of her belly. "They mean I've had your body, that I've claimed it and made it mine." He tilted his head to the side. "I think I'll get you pregnant once again. I have my heir, but while you're healthy and of childbearing age, I may as well beget you with more. I liked seeing you ripe with my child," he said thoughtfully. He traced his fingers along her ribcage to her breasts, cupping one. "And I don't want these getting any smaller."

The poor girl was speechless, not that she could catch her breath to speak in the first place. She just looked at him in awe. Of everything that had just happened, _that_ was where his mind was? Knocking her up again?

Loki crawled off her and wiped himself on her discarded slip before tucking his cock back into his trousers. With a yawn, he stretched his arms towards the ceiling.

"You'll stay here until I've decided what to do with you. I'll have Astrid delivered for her feedings, but don't you dare try to prolong them. You don't deserve to be in my daughter's presence any longer than necessary," he said while examining his nails.

Annalise's jaw opened in shock. She lay, still chained, blinking stupidly at him as she took in what he'd just said.

"I'll have some of your things brought down to keep you occupied. I can't have you going insane on me, can I? The chains will retract in the morning. You'll sleep with them on when I'm not around to oversee you. Goodnight, little peach."

He walked from the cell and waved his hand, replacing the humming wall of energy and effectively trapping Annalise in her new cage. She waited until she heard the heavy dungeon door shut before she let out a choked sob.


	20. Slippin'

To say Annalise's emotions careened back and forth over the next few days was an understatement. At times, Loki would watch her furiously pacing back and forth in her cell, occasionally pausing to throw something at the glowing force field that held her captive, watching it spark and flare. Late at night, the King of Midgard would observe his Queen roll up into a ball in the crumpled sheets, her little body shaking with the force of her sobs. Those moments almost made Loki release her. Almost.

"Good morning, my treacherous little dove." Annalise's back stiffened as the low voice of her husband echoed through her cell- Loki's deep, beautiful tones crawling up her spine, lighting her nerve endings on fire. The King stood with legs spread arrogantly apart, shining boots planted on the grey concrete floor in front of her cell.

"What do you want?" she hissed, throwing her heavy curls over one shoulder. Annalise was still dressed in lingerie- while Loki had fresh clothing brought to her everyday, it was always infuriatingly short, silky and see through. His green eyes went to the table by her elbow, and his wife looked down to see a pile of neatly folded lace and silk. One little hand fisted the lingerie as her eyes narrowed threateningly. "You're not watching me shower again. You'll have to get your voyeuristic kink satisfied somewhere else."

The King of Midgard chuckled as he simply walked through the glowing containment field that would have fried anyone else to ash. Annalise refused to step back as he towered over her. What she wouldn't give for a pair of her lovely 5 inch Pradas! Something with a sharp heel...something she could dig right into the top of his foot... Unfortunately, lofty footwear was not available and her cold husband was herding her towards the shower with the menace of his close proximity. "You are mine to do with as I please," Loki's voice couldn't have been colder or less interested in his diminutive Queen's rage. "Now remove those smelly rags, or I will." Aside from Loki's claiming of her after throwing her into this horrible cubicle, his only interaction was looking Annalise over, as he would a particularly expensive piece of furniture. He insisted on humiliating her by seating himself comfortably and watching his wife furiously scrub herself in the elaborate stone shower. Annalise neatly sidestepped his tall body and got the bed between them.

"No!" she hissed, "I'm not putting on a show so you can enjoy degrading me!" Gesturing wildly around the concrete room, Annalise clenched her fists at her sides, trying to stop them from shaking. "I have done nothing to betray you and I will not allow you to punish me any further! I need-" to her fury, the little Queen's voice broke, but she continued. "I need my daughter. And- and she needs her mother."

Suddenly, the room that stubbornly stayed brightly lit 24 hours a day was plunged into darkness- not even a glimmer of the corridor florescent seeped through the inky black. "That's where you are woefully incorrect, my duplicitous little bitch." Annalise nearly jumped out of her skin as Loki's voice purred directly next to her ear. Finally getting her bearings, she rolled across the bed and away from him, only to have her diabolical husband suddenly appear in front of her again. "You will do whatever I tell you to do. You will feed our daughter, dress like a doll in whatever I choose to give you, and if I desire you to crawl naked down that concrete corridor-" with another angry step forward, Loki had her petite self trapped against his hard body and the wall. "Perhaps I'll keep you hidden here, in the dark for days..." cruelly, his voice dipped again, murmuring into Annalise's suddenly sensitive ear as Loki purred his threats to her- so closely that she felt his cool breath, the movement of his lips against the shell of her ear. What the King had forgotten, however, was his bride's new-found Asgardian strength and the fury to maximize it.

The room lit up in lurid sparks of yellows, reds and orange as the tall body of the King was thrown through the force field. Landing with a thud on the floor, Loki angrily sat up, ignoring the cracks in the concrete spiraling out from the impact of his landing. He was back in the cell in an instant, but his devious little wife was ready for him- her fresh reflexes helping her jump on the bed as the cell's lighting was restored so she could confront the arrogant King, eye to eye. That might have been a mistake, mused Annalise hazily, because Loki was in such a rage that his eyes literally glowed a green fire. He furiously raised his hand, and it felt like Loki was wrapping those long fingers around her neck, her airwave already constricting. The pressure suddenly released when she furiously slapped him across his perfect face- the huge diamond wedding ring he'd insisted on cutting Loki's sharp cheekbone with a small spurt of blood on his marble white skin. "Can't you handle your wife without your Seidr?" Annalise snarled, trying to force down the guilt obscuring her fury at the sight of blood- (blood she'd caused!) on her King's face. "Or is that much-boasted Godly strength of yours not up to the task?"

Loki Laufeyson of Asgard was flushed- a blood red hue to his face and a firey haze almost obscuring his vision. This- this arrogant, foolish bitch dared raise her hand to him? To her husband? To her superior? To her King? Her eyes were blazing, those lovely breasts heaving with her rage. With a growl, he did something Annalise would never have expected- he raised his huge hand to strike her.

The girl couldn't believe it. She'd seen Loki in battle many times, and he never lost his cool, maintaining his composure as he would decapitate those who dared stand against him. But Annalise was spitefully gratified to see her husband was absolutely enraged- at her effrontery- her sheer _gall_ in defying him. The fact that his little Queen could use the symbol of their marriage- that wildly ostentatious wedding ring as a weapon made it all the more infuriating. And, as will happen when one's opponent in battle is distracted, one's chance to attack becomes measurably more successful. So, Annalise did, leaping from the bed onto his back like a furious brunette monkey, clinging with arms and legs as she sharply bit his ear.

"You vicious little bitch!" Loki growled, "you will rot in this cell for the rest of your miserable-"

"Listen to me!" Annalise hissed into his ear, grunting painfully as he backed angrily into a wall, nearly dislodging her grip. She knew she still had a small advantage, because admit it or not, Loki was loath to seriously hurt her. "How can you doubt me? How- ow, damnit! Stop bashing me into the wall! How can you? I was your first subject- the first to declare loyalty to you!"

"Stupid girl!" Loki reached one long arm behind him, seizing a fistful of her hair at the roots and readying to flip her over his head. "You were merely my captive, like all the others-"

"No!" Annalise squeezed her strong, slim legs around in him a python-like caress. "No! You never hypnotized me- or whatever made their eyes glow green with the Tesseract! Don't you remember the night after Stuttgart? On the plane? I came to you- my King! I soothed you with my body and my mouth-"

Loki actually paused for a minute, one big fist still in her thick curls as he reminisced. "Ah. Your sweet, pink little mouth. Wrapped so tightly around my cock." Annalise could hear the familiar, self-satisfied smirk in his voice and hastily continued.

"I've never ran from you since. I've never tried to escape. I was your first subject. Your _first_ , Loki!" Annalise paused for a moment, stunned with the realization that she was telling the truth. "And because I stood in front of one of the Avengers- still secured in his cell- makes you think I would betray you?"

Finally shrugging those wide shoulders, Loki effortlessly flipped the smaller woman onto the bed, pressing her back sharply into the mattress. "You crept from our bed to speak with that white-toothed simpleton in the middle of the night, you faithless, treacherous little-"

"To find out what they thought they knew about you!" Annalise seized both his ear, hanging on like they were reins to a particularly troublesome horse. "Do you really think I would have empathy for the Avengers? I had to give birth to our daughter alone when they attacked us! You were gone, Loki- I needed you but I knew you had to protect us! And you immediately thought I betrayed you." Annalise sagged in frustration against the silky blanket before angrily rearing up again. "I am the only one you _can_ trust! How can a God and an Asgardian be so stupid!" She yelled into his face. Loki's face was frozen- she couldn't tell from shock or rage, but she did the only thing she could think of, darting forward and placing that pink mouth he was so fond of against his, furiously kissing him, biting his upper lip when her husband didn't immediately respond. "Oooo!" she hissed, "I just hate you! How can you not-"

The Queen of Midgard's diatribe was abruptly cut off as her King's mouth slammed back on hers, pressing so hard that a small split made her lip bloody. Grabbing thick handfuls of Loki's long, inky hair, Annalise held on, kissing him back and pushing her tongue into his mouth so he could taste the blood he'd caused. "By the Nornir," he groaned, "you were delicious that night on the plane, sinking between my legs and running those little hands up my thighs..." Loki abruptly flipped Annalise over to press on top of her, but she kept her petite legs wrapped tightly against his waist, holding some control. "Watching you crawl to me- ah! You vicious cat, stop biting me! Your big eyes so wide and appealing. That sweet, pink mouth closing over my cock in the most depraved way..."

Annalise was furious to realize his deep voice, filled with the tone of darkly and deliciously dirty things was making her wet, mindlessly pressing her pelvis up against the thick knot of meat Loki was pushing into her clothed crotch. "And you still think I would betray you? Go against you with- ugh- Captain America? The oldest virgin on the planet?"

Loki's rhythm against her stuttered as he choked, laughing against her mouth. "My darling wife...true. What would a licentious tiny darling like you do with such a feeble creature?"

"Shut up and kiss me more," his Queen moaned, pushing up one of her full breasts against his hand. Astrid nursed that morning, but not fully, and her breasts were painfully large. Loki's long, cool fingers against their heated weight felt so good. A sudden moisture made his fingers tighten again, then hold against one rosy nipple.

"Darling..." Loki purred, his glee and satisfaction clear. "You're leaking. Above and below." To prove his point, he slipped two thick digits inside her while latching greedily onto her nipple, licking and sucking the swollen tip.

Annalise groaned with desperation as she felt her milk flow. "This is- this isn't for you, Loki! I'm not a cow!"

"No..." her husband purred, yanking off what was left of her lingerie and ripping his pants open enough to free his cock, pulling the thick column out and running his fist up and down the heated skin. "You're my Queen." Annalise shrieked as he shoved his cock inside her carelessly, not waiting for her as he began thrusting in and out of her slippery cunt. "My whore." Putting his cool mouth to her heated breast again, he grinned against her nipple as his wife's fingers gripped his hair to the point of a rather arousing discomfort. "My sweet, delicious little brood mare," he growled, sucking harder as the honeyed milk meant for their daughter spurted down his throat. "You're sweet, darling- so sweet. I could feed on you all night. I'm going to keep a child in you for the next millennium, just to taste these tender breasts. Making you full-" Annalise shrieked out delightedly as Loki pushed harder, brutally into her. "-round, so fertile and utterly-" shoving up into his little wife again, he grinned at her yelp, which dissolved rapidly into a moan. "-utterly, fucking, ravishingly perfect."

"No..." moaned his Queen mindlessly, "No! Not yet- I don't want to come yet- this is so good- oh, GOD!" Her back arched painfully as Loki sucked and thrust sharply at the same time, not letting up on the rapid invasion of her body.

The King's hips moved even faster, his feet pressed against the foot-board of her bed to brace his thrusts into her. "Oh, I think you will. And now, my wife." Ignoring her pleading whimpers, Loki growled and bit her nipple lightly, enjoyed the startled spurt of milk. "Come, NOW. I order you! I demand it!" And like the gracious and dutiful Queen she was, Annalise did, wailing her pleasure into the concrete corridor outside her cell, echoing down to where the Avengers were held, wearing expressions of shock, amusement or outright horror. And knowing that's exactly what they were doing made Loki howl in triumph and come as well, gently pinching and pulling on the nipple not gripped between his teeth. Annalise gasped as his come flooded through her, cool against her fiery cunt and coating her heated walls. Loki kept stroking, tapping her clit idly. "One more, darling."

Shaking her head tiredly, his wife moaned, "I- I can't, Loki. I'm so-"

"One more." Loki's voice was calm but inexorable, stroking and pushing her to another peak. Grinning against her sweaty neck, he whispered filthy praise into her ear. "One more, my greedy bitch. I want to feel you clutch against my cock. Come now, darling. One more..."

And again, like the gracious and dutiful Queen she was, Annalise gripped his shaft so tightly that Loki was forced to pause, biting into her shoulder as his diminutive wife thrashed against him in a rapid series of two and then three orgasms. The King and Queen of Midgard held each other tightly, panting and shuddering with each aftershock. Finally opening his eyes, Loki looked down on the blissful expression on her lovely face. Her hair spread out in a fan around her head, glowing even in the dull lighting of the cell, the red highlights shining brightly. Running his fingers through her bright curls, he realized that the vivid color of his Queen created the light in his darkened soul.


	21. Baby, Give Me It

Annalise rolled over in her luxurious dungeon bed and burrowed against Loki's side. Automatically his arm slid beneath her neck to wrap around her shoulders. She squirmed to get comfortable and tucked her head beneath his chin. Her mouth curved into a drowsy smile as his thumb brushed back and forth against the skin of her bare arm, but she winced when his fingers pressed against a nasty purple bruise caused by their altercation the night prior. Sensing her discomfort, Loki loosened his grip.

"Sore, darling?"

She grunted tiredly and buried her face against his neck, taking a moment to give him a firm nip. Of course she was sore. They were post Battle of the Sexes. That ended in sex. Her entire being ached.

"You know I am," she snapped sleepily.

A chuckle rumbled in his chest and she sighed in contentment, despite her sore body. Her Loki had returned. He was still moody, devious and diabolical, but he was hers again. She relished in the feeling of her body curling against his solid form.

Shannon chose that moment to appear with Astrid, who was squalling and clearly hungry. Loki lounged lazily as he watched the woman gasp and blush at the scene before her: a broken chair, snapped bedpost, several smashed lamps and her King and Queen clearly post coitus, dressed in nothing but the bedclothes. Immediately she spun away from the naked royal pair.

"It's okay, Shannon. Please, bring her to me."

Annalise clutched the sheet to her bare chest with one hand and held out her free arm to take her child. Muttering an apology and awkwardly curtsying, Shannon deposited the fussy infant into the Queen's arms and fled. Loki found the woman's discomfort wildly amusing and between her cackling husband and crying daughter, Annalise groaned as she leaned back against the pillow. Astrid's cries ceased immediately as she began nursing, which put the young Queen mostly at ease. She stroked the baby's little puff of hair, murmuring quietly as Loki watched, his brows furrowing. He inhaled to speak, but hesitated. He tried again.

"You are… a good mother, Annalise."

The Queen blinked in surprise, her mouth not quite hanging open, but her lips parted. Her fair cheeks flushed.

"I-Thank you, Loki."

He muttered something unintelligible, likely negating the complement he'd just bestowed upon her, but she chose to ignore it. He watched his wife tenderly care for their baby for several moments, and an expression of something that almost resembled jealousy appeared on his face. Annalise frowned and used her free hand to brush his long hair from his eyes.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I never had that," he murmured as he stared at his suckling baby.

Annalise's brows rose in sympathy and, as if anticipating her reaction, he glared.

"Do not pity me. I was merely making an observation."

The queen pursed her lips and nodded, returning her attention to their child. Sighing, she let the baby take one of her fingers in her little fist as she fed. Astrid really was beautiful. Skin fairer than both her mother or father, with a beautiful cool tinge that made it gleam like crystalized ice. Despite her mother's lack of vertical prowess, Astrid was long. At this rate, it was safe to say she'd likely inherited Loki's height. Gazing back at her husband, she bit her lip before speaking softly.

"You can't always shut me out, Loki. You of all people should know I'll elbow my way in."

Ignoring her, Loki rolled from the bed with a groan and reached his arms to the ceiling as he stretched his equally sore muscles. He rooted through the tornado of clothes on the floor until he found his trousers and slid into them.

"I do what I want, Annalise," he tossed over his shoulder.

With that, he waved a hand, dismantled the force field of the chamber and strode out into the dungeon. She rolled her eyes, hefting Astrid into one arm and patting the baby's back as she slung her feet over the side of the bed and rose. Shannon returned to fetch Astrid, and Annalise graciously thanked her as she kissed her daughter. Once alone, she released a great sigh. She delicately made her way through wreckage to a mirror sporting a wicked crack down the middle, likely from when Loki slammed her against it last night. She could see and feel her face heat at the thought as she glanced at her reflection.

Her hair was a mess and she used a few hastily discarded pins to secure it at the nape of her neck, escaped tendrils insistently framing her face. She brushed them behind her ears, examining her throat and chest in the process. The imprints of Loki's teeth peppered her neck and breasts, with an especially nasty bite at the on the side of her throat. Annalise turned and looked over her shoulder, experimentally pressing her finger against a deep purple splotch near her ribcage. She hissed, immediately regretting the action. She prayed that whatever Asgardian magic influenced her body healed her quickly.

With a sigh, she donned a robe Loki had generously left her and slipped from the room. She walked barefoot between the mostly empty cells, but came to a stop when someone spoke.

"Ma'm?"

She turned slowly, wary of her state of dress and the ordeal she just endured with her husband. Wrapping her arms around herself, she glanced at the Captain.

"Yes?"

"Anything I'm responsible for causing, I-I deeply apologize for. Are you alright? Did he hurt you badly?" She glanced down at her body, littered with blatantly visible bruises and scrapes. She smirked.

Smug wasn't an emotion she felt often. Her life was too chaotic for complacency and any accomplishments she achieved were quickly substituted with new pressing issues. There was simply no time for such nonsense. However, in this instance, Annalise couldn't help it. She didn't care if the Captain had intentionally pitted Loki against her, or if it was a genuine accident. It didn't matter. His caring for her wellbeing was endearing, but she and Loki had worked out their issues in the manner that best suited them. But he didn't need to know that.

She offered a smile, then sauntered up the stairs, leaving the poor man confused.

A proud and slightly conceited Loki smirked from the security room, where he'd witnessed his wife's interaction with Captain America on one of the many camera feeds. Sighing in satisfaction, he strode from the space to go about harassing the remaining Avengers for the day.

—

After changing, Annalise spent the her time resettling her charges. Most had returned after being sent away during the Avengers attack on the Waldorf. Shannon had kept tabs on them all, but the Queen wanted to ensure their wellbeing for herself. She passed the time talking and laughing with them and reassuring them that the palace was, once again, a safe place. Having lost track of time during her socializing, her grumpy husband finally tracked her down after issuing several mild threats when her people were, at first, less than helpful to their testy King in finding her. Loki discovered her sitting neatly on the floor, having a very serious conversation with a four-year-old regarding the technicalities of becoming a prince. The King cleared his throat and beckoned.

"Annalise, come."

Despite his completely unnecessary tyrannical summoning of her, Annalise smiled at him. She turned and spoke softly to the little boy, kissing his cheek before rising and stepping gracefully to Loki's side. She took his arm and waved to the child, who eagerly waved back. Loki led her to their room.

"Basking in the plebeians?"

She snorted and rolled her eyes.

"I spent the day with them, yes. Also, I promised that boy a crown and a horse. Can you arrange that?"

Loki sighed and pressed his fingers against his temples.

"Your pets should be grateful for what we give them."

"Loki, he wanted us to adopt him so he could be a proper prince. A crown and a horse seem like a fair negotiation, especially for someone with your resources." She arched a brow. "You can easily get those things for him, can't you?"

He muttered something along the lines of "yes" before stopping abruptly, stepping in front of her to cut her off. He scowled, his eyes demanding answers.

"He wanted us to adopt him?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, so he could be a prince. He knows I'm the queen, and that the queen's son is a prince."

Loki hissed between his teeth.

"We will have a prince, but it will not be that boy—Unless you want him, then you may have him. However, our third child, sired by myself, will also be male—."

"You swore Astrid was going to be male."

He narrowed his eyes, glaring for a moment until he realized she was teasing. He visibly relaxed.

"I was wrong, I admit. But our next will be a boy. I know this."

Annalise couldn't help but grin at his baseless assuredness.

"And how do you know that, my King?"

"By the way you're carrying."

Her brows raised, eyes widening and her plump lips separating in shock as her hands flew to her abdomen.

"I-What? You-Ugh, Loki!" she groaned, rubbing her face with her hands.

Loki preened and gave her a devious smile.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later, my peach. It's not as if we were taking any precautions."

With a growl, Annalise grabbed Loki's bicep and tried to drag him to their room, making an effort to stomp her feet in the process.

"Astrid isn't even six months yet, I'm still breastfeeding! You-you sound so sure, there's no way you could know for certain," she tried to reason.

Loki shrugged.

"When you've been around women for a few thousand years, you learn a thing or two about pregnancy, Annalise."

She rolled her eyes to the ceiling and prayed for the patience to not throttle her husband. She wasn't entirely sure she was physically capable of doing so, but she could certainly try. Loki humored her, easily following her fast, short steps with his own leisurely long strides.

She huffed all the way to their rooms, which Loki opened with a wave of his hand. Evidently he'd grown tired of the novelty of using a keycard. Annalise stormed into the bathroom and, to her consternation, Loki followed her. Angrily she turned on the shower, then watched her reflection in the mirror as she undressed herself. Once nude, she turned to the side, rubbing a hand over her flat belly with a sigh. It wouldn't be that way for long, if Loki was correct, and he usually was. Ignoring him, she turned and stepped under the spray of the rainfall shower, groaning in pleasure as the hot water poured over her battered body.

Though her eyes were closed, she clearly heard the massive shower door open and close and crossly turned her back on Loki without opening her eyes. She gasped when his fingers twined in her hair and he pushed her forward, guiding her with a hand around her middle to keep her from falling. She swatted at him, to which he paid no mind due to the fact that he was busy lifting her foot and placing it securely on the stone bench next to them. Spreading her legs generously, he reached between them sought out her clit. She shuddered when he began rubbing quick circles around it, livid that he found her throbbing and ready for him. The poor queen couldn't help the way her body reacted when they argued.

With his free hand he openly groped her, cupping a breast and thumbing her sensitive nipple, making her grunt while she wriggled in his grasp. She kept intending to push him away, as she was obviously busy bathing, but she lost her train of thought every time he put his hands on her. Mouth poised in his ever-present smirk, Loki took his cock in his hand and prodded her entrance, giving a single pump of his hips and thrusting home, coaxing a drawn-out moan from his wife as he slid into her slick passage. She arched her back as her fingers scrabbled for purchase, her nails uselessly scratching against the slick stone wall. Loki pressed her forward and she gasped as her breasts met the cold surface, making her shiver and clench over him, which earned her a growl from the man inside her.

She hissed at the resulting sting of his utter impatience, though pleasure quickly overrode her senses as he pushed on her lower back, forcing her to bend and arch as he spread his legs wide to lower his tall form so he could fuck her properly. Panting, Annalise glanced over her shoulder.

"I'm still upset with you," she grunted.

She could hear him chuckle.

"When are you not upset with me?"

Her glare went mostly unseen when he thrust especially hard, forcing her cheek against the cool stone as she focused on staying upright.

"I wasn't angry with you between our fighting last night and you casually informing me that I'm pregnant again this evening."

When he laughed she shoved a sharp elbow into his side, interrupting his delight, which made her smile until he reached forward and used each hand to tweak both nipples. Annalise cried out and arched her back to press her chest against his palms with a moan. She could feel the puff of his breath against her shoulder as he teased her, and when his mouth latched onto her neck, she groaned.

Loki continued snapping his hips against her rear, the slap of skin on skin echoing loudly in the shower. With a moan she cupped her hand over one of his, encouraging him to massage her as he pumped his hips. Not one to take direction without at least adding to add his own input, Loki slid his hand from hers and tucked it between her legs once again. Her knees shook as his slick fingers worked her clit and Loki had to slide an arm underneath her middle to keep her standing as he rubbed her to completion. Her hand flew behind her and her fingers wrapped around his arm, desperate to hold on to something as he made her fall to pieces. Her shout was amplified by the acoustics of the bathroom, and Loki was fairly certain the noise was audible all the way in the hallway between rooms, which made him smile proudly.

He growled as Annalise's cunt squeezed his length, gritting his teeth as he fucked her through her orgasm. She sagged against him once she was finished, unable to keep herself vertical. He hefted her back against his chest and positioned her like a doll, his fingers digging into her hips as he held her still and took his pleasure. With a snarl he hammered against her, coming with a groan and using an arm to brace himself against the wall in order to keep them both upright.

Legs shaking, he settled on the stone bench with his queen in his lap as she eventually managed to catch her breath. The water had turned lukewarm and Loki graciously turned the dial to warm it while grabbing a bottle of body wash and soaping her shivering form. Despite her ire, Annalise couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck, burying her face against his shoulder as he tended to her so gently. As he washed her, he spent extra time with his hands roving around her abdomen, as if soothing and officially welcoming his unborn child to the world.

Eventually they retired to bed. Despite being exhausted and moderately delirious, Annalise propped herself up on an elbow and turned to Loki, her mind on their conversation earlier.

"You know that if anything were to happen to us, Astrid is your heir, right? Regardless of this baby's gender. This is the twenty-first century, Loki. There's no way our younger son would supersede our eldest daughter."

Loki opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it when Annalise narrowed her eyes. He sighed dramatically.

"Yes, I suppose you're right, my dear."

With a satisfied smile, Annalise rest her head on his cool chest, allowing herself to be lulled to sleep by his steady heartbeat.


	22. Ready Now

Annalise hummed quietly to her daughter as they rocked in Astrid's chair. The baby's belly was full, her mother's chest no longer ached and contentment radiated between the two. Her own eyes growing heavy, Annalise let them slide shut as her daughter relaxed in her arms. When Astrid sneezed suddenly, a burst of frigid air shot from her nose while her fingers and toes simultaneously turned blue. The Queen's eyes flew open as she looked at her child in shock. A thin layer of frost covered Annalise's hand where the baby had expelled her breath. She sputtered in surprise and yelled for her King.

"Loki!"

A moment later her shirtless husband sauntered into the room, already prepared for bed. He gave a rare warm smile at the sight of mother and baby in the rocking chair.

"Yes, my little peach?"

"Your daughter just sneezed ice at me. And her extremities turned blue."

Loki paled, his eyes widening.

"No, she couldn't have," he whispered.

"Yes. She did." Annalise took in his rigid posture and furrowed brows. "Now, wipe that horrified look off your face and tell me what's going on. She sneezed cold air, she didn't breathe fire. I'm fine. It could be worse, Loki. If you would just educate me as to why our baby has subzero tendencies, we can put this matter to rest."

Still stunned, Loki braced himself against the wall and shook his head, "We made it this far without any signs… I'd hoped the traits were recessive."

Astrid squawked and began babbling as her parents' conversation wound her up. She kicked her little feet and Annalise rose and quickly closed the distance between herself and her husband. She held Astrid out at Loki.

"Give her a kiss? I'm putting her down before we fully wake her up."

Loki stared at the baby, still grimacing. He'd tainted his beloved child. This was all his fault. Annalise frowned.

"Loki, kiss your daughter goodnight."

With a heavy sigh, Loki regretfully observed his daughter for a moment before leaning forward and pressing his lips to Astrid's forehead. The child cooed and Loki couldn't help but melt, stroking her pudgy cheek with a sad smile.

"Goodnight, my darling."

Anna mimicked the affectionate act and strode with Astrid back to her crib. Glancing over her shoulder, she made sure Loki didn't go anywhere. The Queen was anxious to return to her perturbed husband. Putting the baby down, she took Loki's hand and gently led him from the baby's bedroom to their sitting room. He was so sufficiently dazed that she took him by the arm and herded him into a seated position on the sofa, then daintily sat in his lap. He stared straight ahead into the blazing fire, occasionally shaking his head.

"I'm truly sorry, Annalise."

"Loki," she murmured, cupping his face in either hand and forcing him to look at her. "Do I look upset?" He stared blankly at her. She shook him to the best of her ability. "Do I?"

"No."

"Good. Because I'm not upset. I know this has something to do with what the Black Widow was trying to bait me with, something about _what_ you are." Her thumbs rubbed soothingly against his cheeks. "Now, you need to hear me. Because you look more broken than I've ever seen you." When he glanced up at her with pain in his eyes, her heart ached. Loki's brow creased and his mouth twisted with guilt.

"Whatever you're thinking, stop. Stop it right now."

He gave an aggrieved smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "When did you become so bossy?"

Her full lips curved into a smile and she pushed his long, inky hair away from his face. "I've always been bossy. I must compensate for my lack of height somehow."

That drew a small, but genuine, grin from Loki.

"Talk to me," she urged.

He sighed heavily, idly playing with the sleeve of her dress as he spoke. "Until this day, you have known me as an Asgardian."

Thumbs still reassuringly stroking his face, Annalise nodded.

"I-I am not truly of Asgard."

Annalise quirked a brow in confusion, "Are you human?"

"No, darling, I'm not human at all. I'm from neither Asgard nor Midgard. I am of Jotunheim," he said the word as if he were spitting poison from his mouth.

Anna frowned and tilted her head.

"It's one of the Nine Realms. _Jotunheim_ is a bleak, destitute land of ice and snow and death and suffering," he explained. "I am a Jotun, a Frost Giant. The type of ice monster parents tell their children about at night to scare them. A violent blue beast with limitless hunger for power and destruction."

Annalise cleared her throat and raised a brow at the truth of his statement. Loki glared and pushed her hands from his face.

"My situation is different. I _am_ powerful, I don't simply hunger for it. And, it's my birthright to be king."

More concerned about Loki's feelings towards Astrid and himself than pointing out how he embodied the creatures he'd just described, Annalise let it go and allowed him to continue.

"I was taken from Jotunheim as a babe during war and adopted in secret by the Allfather, the ruler of Asgard, with hopes of one day bringing unity between our people." He laughed coldly. "I was brought up alongside Thor, under the impression I was his natural born son. He and his wife raised me to be a king. Now I know Odin never would have put a Frost Giant on the throne of Asgard," he spat. "Before I came to Midgard, he fell into a deep sleep… And Thor was banished. I briefly ruled as the rightful king of Asgard… But Thor returned, despite my unconscious father's decree, and Odin woke, taking back my throne." His lip curled in disgust and his fingers unconsciously dug into the flesh of Annalise's hip. She winced, gently removing his hands and holding them in hers.

"I know you don't care for Thor, this is why? Because he's next in line for the crown instead of you?"

Loki sneered, "There's a multitude of reasons why I can't stand the oaf. But that is a conversation for a different day. For now, we must focus on curing our child."

She gripped his hand tightly. "What do you mean _curing_? There's nothing to be cured."

"On the contrary. We must treat this immediately. I'll summon the best healers from Asgard—."

Annalise sat up straight in his lap and gripped his face with a hand on either cheek.

"Loki, so help me, you will do no such thing. You will not _treat_ or _cure_ our precious daughter of a single thing. She's not _ill_. She's perfect, remember? You remind me how perfect she's is all the time, especially when she's spat up on my shoulder or drooled mushed carrots on my favorite Prabal Gurung silk blouse. And you're always right. She is."

For a moment, Loki's eyes softened as he recalled the utter purity and flawlessness of his daughter. However, that hardened look returned almost immediately, making it clear Astrid's paternal lineage was far from forgotten.

"We must try. I will not allow my child to endure the pain I did of being different, of exemplifying a monstrosity and living as an outcast." He gazed into the fire one more, squinting at the flames. "Perhaps her Jotun traits can be subdued with magic."

Annalise's fingers pressed into the flesh of his jaw as she fumed.

"I forbid you to suppress anything remotely Jotun about her. I'm serious, Loki. Astrid is exactly the way she's meant to be. I have no doubt of that."

Loki considered his wife, peeling her hands away from his face and running his fingers through the length of her hair to soothe himself.

"There's no way you can possibly understand, Annalise, and I am aware of that. It's alright. I forgive you. You're stubborn, which both renders me insane with anger and makes me hard at the same time," he noted idly. "One day, you'll come to understand why I must do this."

Annalise squirmed off his lap and curled her fingers into a fist to keep from slapping him.

"Do not speak to me as if I'm _inferior,_ " she hissed. "I am your queen and your equal, Loki of _Jotunheim_. No one else holds the status I do, and you must therefore listen to me more carefully than your Chitauri and SHIELD advisors. Astrid will not change. You will not alter her in any way. She is as God, or the Gods," she shook her head, "whichever, have created her. You will not change the tiniest bit of her innocent self. If she grows up different than human children, we will explain to her why. There is no way to protect her completely from the pain of existence, that's simply a fact. No parent can shield their child from that, and despite your status, you are no different."

Loki looked as if he had more to say, but no sound came from his opened mouth. Annalise smiled sadly and cradled his face with a palm.

"You may be King of Midgard, but there's no possible way you can be right about everything. Believe me when I say this: Astrid is incandescently beautiful just the way she is. She needs no help from either of us to become any superior."

Loki looked away and fussed with the straps of her gown. Without a word, he pushed them over her shoulders and pulled at the garment, exposing her swollen breasts.

"Ah, ah, ah," she berated, cupping his face once more. "Do you understand what I've said?"

He glared and shrugged her off.

"Yes, little Queen."

Annalise's shoulders sagged in relief as she allowed herself to fully enjoy the feeling of her husband's hands on her skin. Head tilted back, her rich, warm hair draped over her back.

"Loki," she gasped as he took a nipple into his mouth.

He groaned in response, suckling sweet milk from her nipple as her hands buried themselves in his hair. Impatiently he lifted his wife back onto his thighs and rucked her skirt up around her middle, causing her to squeak and cling to his shoulders and he balanced her.

"Loki," she whimpered as she laved her tender bud.

He chuckled and ran his fingers along her clothed slit, pressing her panties against the moisture gathered.

"Annalise," he groaned, "I cannot express how much it pleases me that you react to our arguments like this," he accented his point by pushing the fabric aside and thrusting two of his fingers inside her dripping cunt.

She did her best to ignore him, unable to keep her hips from thrusting against his hand as she wrapped her own around his shoulders and neck.

"Loki, please," she whimpered, all thoughts of their daughter cast aside as her husband violated her in the most delicious ways possible. Her husband nibbled against her neck as he fingered her, slipping his digits inside her as she writhed in his lap. He idly nibbled at her collarbone.

"Would you defend me with the fierceness with which you defend your children?"

Annalise shook herself out of her reverie and paused, looking at her King in question.

"Wha-what?"

"Would you defend me? If Thor or Odin or some other force tried to overpower me? Would you fight for me as valiantly as you fight for Astrid?"

Annalise's face grew serious and she gripped Loki tightly.

"Yes, Loki. I'd fight for you with just as much passion."

He seemed to lose control at her admission, sucking and biting her neck as he pumped his fingers into her pussy. Her back arched as she twisted in his lap, her hips humping against his hand with every ounce of energy she had. His own hips surged against hers, his erection pressing deliciously against her rear as they moved together. Her crooked his talented digits and she cried out, her hands pulling his hair painfully tight as she began throwing everything she had into thrusting against him.

"You're mine, Annalise. Irrevocably. You'll bear my children, raise them and serve me for the rest of your life," he grit against her neck as he nibbled.

Annalise groaned, her cunt contracting over his fingers as he made his declaration. She objected to nothing. Instead, she keened, her head falling back as she exploded. Pleasure radiated from her core and shot through her body, firing through every extremity until she was too exhausted to hold herself up. Loki cradled her and whispered soothingly to her.

"My good, good girl," he crooned. "Such a regal force as my queen, and such a delicious slut in my bed."

She shivered, her face buried against his neck as she caught her breath. Once finished panting, she began pressing her lips against his tender skin, making him hiss when she nibbled gently.

"You said you were blue," she murmured.

Loki froze and proceeded to shove her off his lap. She landed with a grunt on the floor and glared as she rose to her feet.

"Loki, let me see you. I want to see you. Please?"

He continued staring daggers at her, his eyes cold and unyielding.

"I want to know my husband in every aspect of the word," she whispered.

His lip curled, "You want to know the monster. Fine."

Loki pushed her away once more, causing her to stumble and nearly fall. She ignored the act, instead watching him closely as he began to glow with a blue sheen. Slowly, his skin turned colors, from pale milk to a royal blue. She gasped, shaking her head in awe as he revealed his Jotun self to her.

"Do you like what you see, my Queen?" he sneered.

Anna took a tentative step forward, then another.

"Kneel."

He looked completely taken aback at her request, but after a moment, he bent his knees and sank to the floor.

"Is this what you wanted, Annalise? To feel superior to me?"

Annalise ignored his comments as she circled him, now that he was finally at a height she could properly view him at. He was beautiful. His maroon eyes made her cunt pulse and she longed to run her hands over his textured skin. When she came to the expanse of his back, she couldn't help herself. She brushed her fingers against the raised marks, groaning softly as he gasped.

"You're beautiful."

"Your sarcasm is wasted on me. I know what I am."

"Damnit, Loki." She sank to her own knees, making herself as vulnerable as he was. Cautiously she pressed her lips against the skin of his back, a small smile tugging at her lips when he shivered. Annalise continued to explore him, running her tongue along his textured skin until her it was practically numb from his cold flesh. She crawled before him, looking him in the eye as she settled with her rear on her heels.

When she spoke, she couldn't look him in the eye. The act was too intimate. Instead, she stared at his chest, her hands caressing the hard muscles.

"I love you, Loki. In case you have any doubt, which I know you do, because you're you. I love you as you were, and I love you like this. You're magnificent."

Without waiting for a response, she leaned forward, laving her tongue over one of his nipples before following the pattern of raised skin down his front. His stomach muscles contacted as she knelt lower, her tongue exploring and licking curiously. Eventually she gathered the courage to look up at him, and she did, she groaned. His eyes were half shut, his long hair almost obscuring his face.

"I'm not sure I entirely believe you, little queen."

She nipped at his flesh in anger, but refused to part with it. He gave a pained laugh and buried his fingers in her hair.

"You little minx, don't bite me." She, of course, nipped at him again. He chuckled. "Alright, alright. I believe you. For now."

She rewarded him by trailing her tongue along his biceps and down his forearms, licking the crease of his elbow. Slowly she made her way to his hand. Making clear eye contact, Annalise took a digit into her mouth and sucked firmly, making them both groan.

"Fuck," he growled.

Annalise smiled around his finger, pleased that he felt pleasure at her ministrations. Loki fumbled with his trousers until they fell around his knees.

"If you truly want to pay tribute to your king, worship me," he hissed.

Annalise released his finger with a loud _pop_ , and stubbornly looked him in the eye. When she kissed him, he barely responded, but she didn't allow herself to be discouraged. Pressing her lips firmly against his once more, she pulled away and maintained eye contact as she lowered herself. Without breaking his gaze, she wrapped her slender fingers around his bobbing cock, smiling in satisfaction as he pulsed in her grip.

"You doubt the sincerity of my reverence?"

Loki grunted in response, looking over her shoulder into the fire.

"Fine."

Without complaint, she gave the tip of his weeping cock a kiss, showering his member in affection as her lips traced the length of it. Loki growled and fisted a hand in her hair in warning, though a warning of what, she was unsure. Unbothered, she continued showering his cock with kisses and licks.

"Enough," he hissed.

Unable to help herself at her husband's gruff order, Annalise traced the length of him with her lips once more, bringing her mouth to the head. Looking up at him once again, she licked her lips and sank over him, groaning as she did so. Slowly she engulfed him, stopping only when her lips came into contact with his public bone as she took him down her throat. Loki grunted, fingers twisting in her hair as her mouth began its retreat. Loki still doubted her sincerity, but the feeling of her hot tongue running itself along him was overwhelming and he couldn't keep his hips from thrusting forward.

"Fuck," he snarled.

Annalise smiled around him until he roughly pushed her away, sending her sprawling on her back.

"You truly want to be with a Frost Giant, do you? You wish to bed a monster?"

Annalise spread her thighs in response, refusing to look away from him. He scoffed and crawled forward on his knees. Taking his cock in his hand, he pressed the tip of his cool member against her sopping slit and both groaned at the contact. He ran the head back and forth against her folds, spending extra attention to her clit until her hips rose up off the floor.

"Loki, please," she begged.

With a smirk, Loki surged forward, not giving her a chance to adjust to his length as he forced his way in. Annalise cried out, pulling his torso over hers so she could kiss him as he began to fuck her. Utterly surprised, Loki's hips thrust of their own accord, his rhythm hurried and frantic when he realized his bride refused to be disgusted or repulsed by his natural form. Instead, her fingers roved over his back as she cried out and whimpered, digging her nails into the heavily muscled flesh.

When he glanced down at her to find her eyes not only open, but staring desperately at him in his most monstrous form, he lost control. His hips snapped against hers as he let out a roar, pumping until he felt her convulse beneath him, her eyes only shutting when she could no longer bear the pleasure. As she arched beneath him, Loki came, shooting his cool Jotun seed into her.

Both lay panting, Annalise with her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Thank you for showing me yourself, Loki."

She peppered his neck and shoulder with kisses as he relaxed over her, fighting to keep from crushing her. Without a word, he sealed his lips over hers, silently thanking her for her acceptance of him.


	23. Wear a Warning

Nose buried in Little Women for the hundredth time, Annalise perched with her legs crossed on her beloved "Dragons" chair. The wooden piece, upholstered in a rich brown leather and adorned with symmetrical lacquered dragons, had been a gift from France; an armchair owned by Saint Laurent himself that last auctioned for $27.8 million. The price wasn't of importance; she was interested in the height. It was one of the few pieces of furniture in the entirety of the Waldorf close enough to the floor to allow her dainty feet, often hindered by the shortness of her legs, to touch the ground when properly seated. It was love at first sight.

Mid page-flip the temperature fell several degrees, causing her skin to break out in goosebumps. She glanced up from her book to see Loki standing in the doorway, flanked by several Chitauri. His eyes flicked over her body before speaking.

"Your presence is required in the Operations Room, Annalise."

Tactical planning? She fought the urge to make a face. "But, I'm useless there, I don't have an iota of battle or interrogation experience, the Avengers just annoy me and I can't understand the aliens' chittering anyway—."

Loki's mouth neglected to curve into a smile as she prattled on, as it normally did. He strode forward, walking to her side and gently cupping her face so she looked up at him.

"You need to be there, little dove."

His soft tone was more unsettling than if he'd snapped at her. Whatever was happening, he was completely focused on it and for whatever reason her attendance was important enough to request it diplomatically. She squinted at him for a moment before setting her book down and nodding.

"Okay."

Loki offered her a hand up. She smoothed the skirt of her lace peplum dress and took it, slid hers into the crook of his arm and accompanied Loki and his entourage down to the basement.

As they shuffled into the Operations Room, Annalise's eyes widened in surprise. She'd never had reason to enter it before and clearly it was a technological masterpiece. Illuminated, blinking maps of all nine realms were spread across the surface of the monstrous table in the center of the room, as state of the art computers, radars and sonars hummed in the background. Chitauri and blue-eyed SHIELD agents murmured amongst themselves, hard at work analyzing incoming data. An agent stepped forward.

"The North Korea threat has been neutralized, Your Majesty. We've been in direct communication with their UN envoy and sent several troops to confiscate any remaining paraphernalia."

"Good. Humans and their inability to handle radioactive elements confound me," he grumbled.

Annalise opened her mouth to defend her species, but couldn't come up with a valid argument. Humans and their inability to handle radioactive elements, indeed.

He guided her to the head of the table and pulled out the chair next to him. She had absolutely no idea what was going on, but as he motioned to the chair impatiently, she sat and watched her husband as he conducted what seemed like the daily grind.

"You've located him?" he asked one of the Chitauri.

His second in command nodded and rambled on in its language and Annalise fought the urge to tune the noise out. Instead, she watched as Loki's face morphed into something between a grimace and a sneer.

"Of course he's close. He's just waiting for the most opportune moment. Quadruple the guard on duty at the palace and double forces patrolling the Bifrost. He may be coming, but we won't be caught off-guard."

Annalise frowned as she watched her husband pace back and forth between consoles humming with electronics. He had dark smudges under his eyes and a light sweat shown along his hairline. She chewed her lip nervously.

"Loki, who's coming?" she asked softly.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, as if centering himself before answering. "The Titan, Thanos."

Annalise nodded, watching him with the expectation that he elaborate. When he didn't, she cleared her throat. "Why is he a threat, my King?"

She watched her husband grow ashen and shudder, and she fought the urge to so do herself. If Loki was horrified by this entity, and he seemed to be, then she was petrified tenfold. Nothing scared him, save for Astrid not meeting her milestones. Loki remained silent, staring blankly ahead into nothing as his wife gently squeezed his hand. He jerked and borderline-crushed her fingers with his grip.

"Thanos had _possession_ of me, for a time. For a long time. And after he was… finished with me, he procured the Chitauri for my use. He wanted the Tesseract in exchange for them. The Other, the beast we killed in Brazil, served him... As a liaison between Thanos and myself. When I didn't turn over the Tesseract after the Battle of New York, he vowed to hunt me down and make me suffer again. And darling," he said sadly, brushing Annalise's hair from her face, "he knows torture better than any other being in the nine realms." He looked away from her, back into nothingness. "Murdering his crony was likely unhelpful. He seeks revenge and retribution. And pain. So much pain."

She shook her head in confusion.

"But we can beat him, right?" Annalise tightened her hand around his. Loki didn't seem to notice.

When he neglected to look at her, her stomach rolled.

"Not with the ease in which we fought the Other, my dear. Thanos is infinitely more powerful. Even if I cloned myself ten times… We would still be outmatched. He's kept tabs on me since I arrived in this realm. It's only a matter of time until he attacks, destroying everything I've built on Midgard."

Annalise's stomach bottomed out. Loki was the most powerful being on Earth, which meant he was at least among the contenders for most powerful entity in the universe, right? There was nothing he couldn't do.

"But… In the end, we'll win?"

The sympathy with which Loki looked at her made her stomach drop. He stroked her cheek and shook his head. "No, darling. I will do everything I can do protect you and Astrid, but in the end, he will victorious. Even with the Tesseract, I am no match for a Titan."

She could hear her blood pumping in her hears. What did he mean, he couldn't win? He was Loki, King of Midgard. He could do anything.

"I don't understand."

"He has powers I cannot even begin to comprehend. His might is unmatched. The Tesseract would be a formidable tool in potentially defeating him, but I haven't had time to study it, and without the knowledge of how to wield it, it's useless."

Annalise stared at him in horror. He had to be able to protect his newly acquired realm, to protect their daughter. He just had to. He was a god, wasn't he? She searched his eyes desperately, hoping that he was playing a cruel trick of deception. When she found nothing but sincerity, she almost vomited.

"Loki-I don't—."

"Shhhh," he soothed, stroking her hair behind her hear.

"I will not allow him to lay a hand upon you or the baby. I will die first. I'll send you and Astrid to Asgard. You will be under the protection of Thor and Odin. Odin and I may… have our differences, but he wouldn't turn away his grandchild and her mother. That I know."

No. She didn't find that reassuring. There had to be some other way. Some power to harness that they weren't yet thinking about. She glanced through the doorway at the mostly empty cells of the dungeon, and caught sight of Captain America looking off into the empty space while resting his chin on his hand. There were the Avengers, she supposed. But utilizing their power meant freeing them to an extent. She nodded her head at the remaining members. "What if you allied with them? If you had an angry green beast, a super soldier and an assassin fighting with you?"

Loki scoffed. "Those miscreants would never fight for me. They violently oppose my rule. Additionally, they've, er, been subjected to less than admirable treatment during their time in our home."

Annalise rubbed her thumb against the smooth, cool surface of the back of his hand.

"What if I talked to them? Explained the situation?"

"You will not subject yourself to their lesser presence."

"Loki," she groaned, "What if they're our only chance?

He adamantly shook his head with a sigh, "We will not plead for their assistance. Perishing for my family is a worthy cause. I am at peace with my fate."

Annalise' eyes widened as she realized he'd already resigned himself to dying in the fight with the Titan. Her eyes grew cold and narrowed into slits. How dare he give up so easily.

"Leave."

At the sharp crack of her voice, the agents and aliens all looked up from their work and glanced at her. The Queen's cheeks were red with anger and her hand shook as she pointed to the door. "Get out. All of you."

"You will stay where you are," Loki countered, looking his wife in the eye.

Annalise didn't break his stare, her lip curling. "Get out, _now_ ," she snarled.

Without giving their King or Queen a second glance, all personnel filed from the room at record speed, leaving a furious Loki and an even furious-er Anna. The last Chitauri to exit the room closed the door behind it.

"How dare you undermine me," he growled.

"I gave the command. _You_ undermined me."

"I am your King!"

"I'm your Queen." Annalise raised her chin. "And I do what I want, Loki."

He tilted his head, looking completely baffled. Loki inhaled to interrupt her, but she held up a hand.

"You are _not_ dying. I forbid it. You took over this planet. You can't just abandon it. And, you have a family to look after." She leaned forward and grasped his wrist, guiding his palm against her temporarily-flat belly. The thought of leaving his unborn child caused his chest to ache with pain. He pushed her away from her and cupped her jaw.

"Annalise, truly. This is the reality of the situation."

With a growl she slapped his hand away and pushed her hands forcefully against his chest, "You are not going to die!"

Loki, slightly dumbfounded that she'd gotten physical, quickly recovered from his surprise. He stormed forward, herding her back against the operations table. She grunted when his fingers dug into her the soft flesh of her waist as he hoisted her up, sending her sprawling over the surface of a map of Svartalfheim.

"You will accept my sacrifice," he hissed as he crawled on top of her.

Annalise swiped at him, which he easily blocked. Curling his fingers around her wrists, he pinned them on either side of her head as he straddled her. She continued to fight and bucked her hips, trying to unseat him. He chuckled, which further enraged her. A few attempted kicks later, he shook his head while staring down at his wife. "Enough, my little hellcat."

A tear trickled down her face from the corner of her eye. Her glare refused to soften.

"No. Tell me you're going to live," she panted.

He sighed, his lips set in a grim line as he peered down at Annalise.

"I'll try. I-I cannot guarantee I'll survive."

Another tear dribbled down her cheek and she nodded.

"You better."

Both of them used the moment of quiet to catch their breath, then Loki raised a brow. "If I were dead," Annalise flinched at the word, "you would be free, my little peach. Free to lead your own life, free of my control."

She stared at him, her lips parted in dismay. Wrists still firmly in his grasp, she resumed her frantic struggle to free them so she could smack him. "I don't _want_ to be free of you, you bonehead," she hissed, leaning upwards as best she could. Annalise growled and tilted her chin up until their mouths met, biting his lower lip hard enough to draw blood. He inhaled sharply and pulled away, shooting her a threatening look as he towered over her.

"What's this?" Suspicion gleamed in his eyes as he studied his wife.

"I love you," she spat between gritted teeth.

Loki's eyes narrowed as he surveyed her, once again out of breath from her useless struggling.

"You do?"

Moisture leaked from her eyes as she nodded. "Yes."

A feral noise came from the back of Loki's throat as he transferred her wrists to one hand, using the other to roughly grip her chin. Completely free of self-control, he kissed her urgently with a low groan. Annalise squirmed beneath him, eager to hold him against her and, uttering an irritated sigh against her lips, he released her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him even closer as she tried to arch beneath him. Sensing that her need mirrored his, he made quick work of his trousers while bunching her skirt up around her middle. Her panties tore in his haste to get them off, but neither noticed, despite the angry red mark now marring the skin of Annalise's hip. Loki's lips eventually deviated from hers, trailing against her cheek and neck as he buried his face against her, his mouth against her ear.

"No one else defies my command like you do. You're infuriating," he rumbled. The sound of his voice made her shiver and she clutched him tighter, eagerly spreading her legs in invitation. No further prompting was required for Loki to thrust home with several rough pumps of his hips.

"You like it," she gasped as he bottomed out, making her cunt pulse with desperation. She felt his smile against her skin and he snickered.

"I do, little one."

After that, he made it clear that their discussion of war was over by sealing his lips over hers once more. Their coupling didn't take long, both were strung so tightly from their argument that they were both on edge and ready to snap. Loki's hips pounded against hers, the sound of skin on skin echoing in the Operations Room as they moved together. Annalise cried out as he began rubbing against the textured spot inside her, causing her to see stars as her legs wrapped around his waist.

Loki grunted and nipped at her lip, pressing his own against hers fiercely as he kissed her. The pinch of his teeth against her skin and the intolerably wonderful feeling of her husband plowing inside of her proved to be too much for the little queen, and with a shriek she came apart beneath him. She held onto him like her life depended on it, her hips thrusting wildly as she rode out her orgasm. With a snarl Loki came as well, pumping her throbbing cunt full of his hot seed.

Both lay still while they caught their breath. Once he could think again, Loki pushed up onto his elbows and stared down at Annalise. He brushed her hair from her face, then traced a knuckle along her lips.

"I believe I love you as well."

Annalise was not a crier, but between her husband's seemingly imminent demise and his proclamation, she gave a soft sob and stroked his face. Leaning into her tiny palm, Loki sighed quietly. Once the tightness of emotion left her throat and she could speak again, Annalise gazed up at him.

"We're going to figure this out. We're going to get through this, Loki."

He smirked down at his bossy conquest.

"Yes, darling."


	24. I Can't Wait

"Annalise, I've said no."

After several weeks of debating, Annalise and Loki were at a standoff. The little queen crossed her arms and raised her chin. Loki steepled his fingers against his lips and studied her for an excruciatingly uncomfortable minute. Shannon and several of Annalise's charges squirmed as the duo faced off during the middle of lunch. They looked back and forth between the royal couple as if watching a tennis match, waiting for someone to speak.

Finally, Loki broke the silence. "It's a horrible plan."  
Annalise daintily stabbed a piece of tuna from her Nicoise salad and popped it in her mouth. She chewed and took a drink of wine, drinking while holding Loki's glare.

Swallowing, she shook her head. "It's a good plan."

"It's a horrible plan."

She shrugged a shoulder, sipping from her glass. "It's the only way I'll go to Asgard with Astrid, and you want us safe with Thor, don't you?"

Loki sat back and ran his knuckle along his lower lip, gauging how serious his wife was. Unfortunately, she was his match in many ways, including obstinacy. Loki shook his head. "I-Yes. He is not happy with me, but he won't turn away his niece. However, it's pointless to ask Thor to join me once you arrive. He won't. Even if he wanted to, the Allfather wouldn't permit it. That Odin allowed him to assist in your rescue is still perplexing. He wouldn't risk his precious trueborn son against a Titan. The inquiry is pointless"

Annalise forced herself to put down her fork before she launched it at Loki's face. "We at least have to _ask_. He's your family, whether you want him or not. He loves you. He might help. Just let me talk to him. Please?" Leaning over the table, she shrugged her shoulders together until the V-neckline of her Alexander McQueen dress buckled forward.

Exasperated, Loki distractedly stared at her cleavage before gazing up at the vaulted ceiling with a sigh. "Fine. When you and Astrid retreat to Asgard tonight, you may ask Thor to come to my aid."

Annalise straightened with a pleased smile and fussed with her dress. "Thank you."

"But I don't want to hear another word about it."

She nodded demurely, "Yes, my King."

The tension in the room dissipated as Loki and Anna continued their afternoon meal, and the Waldorf staff relaxed for a few hours.

"They'll all fit on the transport ship? And you're sure customs will let them through?" Annalise asked over her shoulder. Waiting for Loki's reply, she darted to Astrid's Gucci diaper bag and crammed her daughter's favorite rabbit plush, Ymir, into the outer pocket.

He squinted in irritation and rubbed his temples. "Annalise, 'customs' only exists if I allow it. The Chitauri escort squad will deliver your charges to Cuba, where they will enjoy themselves. The Cuban government is under strict direction to accommodate their every need. They'll be fine. We just need to get your people off contiguous North America in case Thanos… breaks it. And, based on what my agents have told me, Cuba would do very well in a collapse of global infrastructure should I perish. It's a secure place for your refugees."

Annalise flinched at the mention of his possible demise. Nibbling her lip, she gave a shaky nod. "Okay. I trust you."

Her declaration made Loki uneasy. If she trusted him, that meant he had the ability to let her down. He gave her a reassuring smile nonetheless. She delivered a pained expression in return, wiping tiredly at her face with her hand and pushing her hair out of her eyes.

Ticking off items on her fingers, she nodded to herself. "I think we have everything. Shannon packed the half her wardrobe, some baby food, diapers, books, her blanket… What am I missing?"

"Annalise, you needn't worry. It's not like you'll be stuck in a changing station between flights at one of those ports of aviation. You'll be whisked to the palace immediately where you'll be fitted with the best accommodations. I've sent word to Thor that you're to reside in my personal chambers."

"An airport," she corrected him offhandedly, "And yes, I know. I just don't want to forget anything. It's not like we can come back."

Loki strode to his wife, placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her so she faced him. "Astrid will not be the first baby on Asgard. Though they may not have a _Pack n' Play_ , I assure you that you Astrid will want for nothing."

Annalise nodded, still worrying her lip. "Okay."

Loki was rather certain Annalise still didn't believe him, but they were running out of time. Based on his agent's intel, Thanos was barreling through the universe towards Midgard. He needed to evacuate his family before it was too late. He rubbed Annalise's back and helped her pack up the rest of Astrid's things.

After seeing her charges off, Annalise shifted Astrid in her arms. Seven Chitauri filed out of the Waldorf, carrying half a boutique's worth of Louis Vuitton luggage. "Take everything to Central Park," she nodded in the urban park's direction. They loaded up one of the Jet-Ski-like crafts and flew the supplies to the park's classic carousel.

Loki ended the trail of bodies streaming from the Waldorf, his face solemn and lips pursed as he watched Annalise give orders. Parting with his family was as brutal as he expected. He cleared his throat, catching Anna's attention. With a nod, she waved her guards on before breaking off to speak with Loki.

"We will say our farewells here," he said.

"Aren't you coming with us to the park?"

"I am, but I'll not have my men see me in such a weakened state."

She sighed as Astrid gazed at her father. The little girl lit up around him, and she was squirming excitedly. "She's going to miss you," Annalise murmured.

"And I'll miss her."

Irritated that her eyes stung with tears, Annalise pulled Loki into a one-armed hug. He wrapped his arms around her and their baby, burying his face against her neck and inhaling deeply. Untangling Annalise from his grasp, he squatted so he was eye level with her tummy. He leaned forward and kissed the little protrusion, murmuring and running his hand along her belly. He stood rigidly, looking over Annalise's shoulder into Central Park.

"This may be goodbye. For good."

Annalise pulled back and almost slapped him. She stood on her tiptoes to grab his chin. "Don't you dare start with that. We'll see you when we come home and I won't have you thinking otherwise. I forbid it."

With a sad smile, Loki cupped her face. "I'll miss you, little peach."

Due to trust issues with the reliability of her voice, Annalise whispered, "I'll miss you too. I love you."

Loki hesitated, his cheeks heating. He grit his teeth to force himself to say the words—not because he didn't mean them, simply because love made him uncomfortable. "I-I love you too, Annalise."

The pair shared a chaste, tender kiss, breaking apart after a few seconds.

"And _you_ ," Loki said, his eyes resting on Astrid as hoisted her into his arms with a grin.

"Daa," the baby hummed.

"My darling girl." He nuzzled his nose against her cheek. "You'll be good for Mama?"

Astrid cooed and grabbed for Loki's mouth, her little fingers trying to work their way between his lips. Her father let out a genuine laugh, turning his head to the side and guiding her arm down. Annalise's hesitant voice distracted him from his daughter's adorable antics.

"While we're gone, will you consider something?"

"What is it?"

"What… What if you weren't king anymore? When all of this is over? Just… think about it?"

Loki's brows furrowed in surprise and he shook his head. He started to speak, but Annalise held up a hand. "Just think about it. I'm not asking anything of you yet."

He nodded warily, his eyes flicking back to his daughter. He gave a heavy sigh, distressed at being separated from her. "Daddy loves you," he murmured against her hair. The baby hummed and reached for her mother. Annalise collected the child as husband and wife walked arm in arm to a Chitauri aircraft. They boarded, followed by a pair of aliens that escorted the royal family to Central Park.  
As they landed on the grass, Annalise hefted Astrid onto her hip. She slipped her hand into Loki's as they neared the half circle of Chitauri. Fanned out near the Central Park Carousel, the beings were chittering amongst each other. Annalise turned to her husband with a raised brow, unable to understand them.

"They're concerned Heimdall won't include them when he brings you to Asgard," Loki translated to Annalise. "They feel protective of you. I will admit Thor is not happy about bringing the Chitauri to Asgard, but I insisted upon it."

Touched, she gave the aliens a reassuring smile and squeezed Loki's hand. "How does this work?"

Loki nodded at Shannon, Annalise's three SHIELD agents, Chitauri and their small mountain of belongings. "Gather together," he motioned with his hands. "I'll call for Heimdall to open the Bifrost. Once he does, you will be transported to Asgard… depending on Heimdall's mood," he grumbled.

The gaggle of bodies coagulated with Annalise and Astrid in the center, faces raised to the sky.

Looking up, Loki called out, "Heimdall!" He was met with the pleasant melody of a nearby bird, but not a peep from the sky. Clearing his throat and putting forth all effort to sound as kingly as possible, Loki tried again. "Heimdall, open the Bifrost. My wife and child seek refuge in Asgard."

Again, his request was answered with ambient park noises.

"Heimdall, I know you can hear me. Annalise and Astrid are innocent. They do not belong in this realm while Thanos is a threat. They need the Thor's protection."

Nothing happened. He exhaled, staring at the sky. " _Please_ let them up," he said under his breath.

Apparently Heimdall had good hearing. Rainbow light burst from the sky, accompanied by an ear-splitting crack that echoed for miles. Loki's hair whipped his face as he watched the shaft of illumination draw Annalise, Astrid and their crew into the sky. As quickly as it appeared, the bright light blinked out and Loki stood alone.


	25. Getting Late

As their feet connected with the surface of the Rainbow Bridge, Annalise stumbled and two Chitauri caught her by the elbows. Once she had her bearings, her gaze immediately flicked to an imposing figure with golden eyes standing in the center of the circular chamber.

"Welcome to Asgard, Your Grace. I am Heimdall, Gatekeeper of Asgard," he intoned with a bow.

"I-Thank you," she said with a polite nod. Astrid cooed at the stunning man, and not even valiant Heimdall could keep the corner of his mouth from twitching at the little girl's delight.

Movement caught the queen's attention and she realized Thor and a slew of guards waited near the telescopic structure they occupied. Her brother-in-law exited his air craft and strode forward, his arms open.

"Sister," he boomed, enveloping Annalise in a giant hug. "And who is this?" he laughed as he pulled away, tickling under Astrid's chin.

The baby gave an uneasy smile as the massive man reached for her. No one on Midgard had the audacity to simply pluck Astrid from her arms, and in her shock Annalise allowed it. The second she left her mother's grasp, Astrid shrieked, her face turning an unbecoming shade of red as tears flowed from her green eyes.

Mildly heartbroken, Thor realized his mistake and handed Astrid back to Annalise. "We're still practicing warming up to strangers," she explained with a guilty smile.

Thor laughed it off and wrapped an arm around Annalise's slim waist, guiding her to what looked like a small fleet of pewter-colored boats. Offering his hand, he helped the young queen into the first craft. The einherjar cautiously approached the Chitauri to help load Astrid and Annalise's Vuitton luggage into the carriers. Palpable unease weighed between the Asgardian warriors and the gray aliens, but for their mutual cause the species cooperated. Once belongings, SHIELD agents, Chitauri, queen and princess were on board the Asgardian vehicles, the crew took off in the direction of the palace.

Annalise shuffled closer to Thor as they flew, holding Astrid to her chest. "Thank you for receiving us. You put Loki as at ease as possible, given the circumstances."

"We should've invited you to Asgard long ago, Annalise. I'm glad you're here."

"How much do you know about the situation with Thanos?"

The jovial smile spread across Thor's lips faded. "Only that he's coming for Loki. My brother wouldn't tell me anything beyond that. I take it by your presence Thanos is close?"

Brows furrowing, Annalise nodded. "Loki insisted we evacuate, but he refused to come with us." She turned towards the god and watched his face, looking for any signs of fraternal affection. "Thor, Loki doesn't think he can beat Thanos," she murmured. Anna rested her hand on his forearm as she fought to keep from tearing up. "The way he talks about the battle suggests he won't survive it. That would be disastrous. The fragile order he's brought to Earth would crumble, but more importantly, I'd lose my husband." She swallowed hard and raised her chin. "I refuse for that to happen. Will you please help him?"

Thor nodded solemnly, as if he knew the question was coming. "Annalise, truly, I would like to believe I'm powerful enough to conquer Thanos. But… he's a Titan. Even with my help, I do not think Loki is a match for a being of that caliber."

Annalise's stomach twisted. She hadn't considered that possibility. "Who does have the power to beat him?"

Thor hesitated, "I'm not sure such power exists. Perhaps Father could triumph, but if he fought, Asgard would risk losing their ruler."

"What kind of parent doesn't go to any length to protect their child?" Annalise asked scathingly.

Thor looked taken aback, his jaw opening and closing before he found his voice. "But Loki doesn't accept Odin as his father," he stammered.

"Do Odin and Frigga no longer claim Loki as their own?"

"I-Well, I didn't say that. What I mean is… Their bond is damaged."

"So damaged they'd allow their son to face certain death?"

Thor broke her gaze, rubbing his hand over his bearded chin. "I'm afraid I cannot answer that. I'm uncertain."

"Then take me to them. Let me talk to your parents myself."

Thor's grip on Mjölnir tightened, causing the handle to creak.

"I-You want an audience with Father and Mother? That's highly improbable, there are hundreds waiting to be seen over court affairs. It would take months before they could meet with you."

Annalise nodded as their aircraft grazed the surface of the sea. She didn't care how difficult it was. "I would like an audience now, please," she said smoothly.

Thor fumbled for words and scratched the back of his neck. Annalise squeezed his hand. "They'll listen to you, Thor. They'll see me if you tell them it's important, which it is. You know it is."

Still flustered, Thor gradually managed a nod. "I'll do what I can."

The ships stayed close to the ground as they neared the towering castle. The palace reached proudly to the sky, like the center prong of a trident. Annalise's stomach rolled as they descended and she held Astrid, smoothing her hand over the child's back to calm herself. With a shaky breath, she glanced back the way they came, her heart already aching for Loki.

Humming, Annalise lay Astrid down in the opulent wooden crib detailed with carved golden serpents on the posts. She was relieved to have a moment alone to recuperate while Thor went in search of his parents. The baby babbled to herself, exploring her new confines as Annalise collapsed into an equally luxurious arm chair. The little queen watched as Astrid investigated, smiling when the baby eventually lay herself down with Ymir. Both mother and daughter's breathing grew deep as they found a moment to relax.

Thunderous knocking roused Annalise. Disoriented, she shot up from her chair, frantically scanning the room until she remembered she was on Asgard in Loki's chambers.

Annalise rubbed her eyes and checked on Astrid before plodding to the doors. Gripping the metal handles, she swung them open. Before her stood Thor, Shannon and a flock of einherjar and Chitauri. Thor gave her a cautious nod.

"They've granted you an audience, Annalise."

Her tummy fluttered and she gazed back at a sleeping Astrid.

"I'll watch her, your Grace," said Shannon as she stepped into Loki's chambers.

Annalise gave the other woman a grateful glance, "Thank you."

Shannon nodded and disappeared into Loki's rooms. Thor tugged at his beard, and looked between Annalise and the crowded hall. "Would you like a moment to prepare, Annalise?"

An extended nap, shower, a dossier on each monarch and a printed outline sounded amazing, but she worried Loki didn't have that kind of time. "No, let's do this now, please."

Thor offered his arm and Annalise slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. He and Annalise led the gaggle of Chitauri and einherjar to the throne room, where Odin and Frigga waited. Outside the doors stood noblemen and women who looked disgruntled. Annalise vaguely wondered if they were who she displaced. With an internal shrug, she trotted to keep up with her brother-in-law.

As the grand room opened, Thor swept Annalise inside. When the thick doors closed behind her, she couldn't help but glance back. The guards remained near the room entrance while Thor walked Annalise to the daises. Striding through the throne room took ages, all the while under the scrutiny of Asgard's king and queen. Annalise plastered a confident smile on her face, though by the time they reached her in-laws, she had thoroughly worked herself up.

Thor released Annalise's hand and bowed to his parents.

"Mother, Father, I present to you Queen Annalise of Midgard, the—."

"The woman who married my son," Frigga interrupted with a gleam in her eye.

Annalise's cheeks glowed pink as she bowed her head. "Your Majesties, it's a pleasure to meet you."

The king and queen of Asgard nodded politely as Thor took his seat next to his father. Frigga's lips parted to speak, but Annalise beat her to it. "I want you to know I respect the decorum and rituals of court, and I apologize profusely for ignoring them."

Frigga's brows rose and Odin's eye widened at Annalise's blunt approach, but the tiny woman continued.

"I wish I were here under better circumstances," she began. "Loki has sent me and our daughter to Asgard for refuge. I'm not sure what Thor has told you about me, or how much you know about Loki's… um, _acquisition_ of Earth, but it's an untidy story that predates my relationship with your son. I realize I don't fully understand the history between the four of you, nor can I entirely comprehend the situation at hand, but what I do know is that this _Thanos_ is coming for Loki now, and that he's very dangerous. Loki doesn't expect to live through the battle." She raised her chin, straightening her spine and ignoring the way her Manolos pinched her feet. "I'm here to ask for your help."

Odin made a noise resembling a grunt and spun Grungir in his hand. The metal bottom of the staff ground against the marble floors, making her wince. Annalise gave him credit for appearing contemplative, rather than going off on her.

Eyeing her husband, Frigga interceded. "Annalise, we welcome you to Asgard. I, too, wish the circumstances were less dire. I hope in the future you will return on your own terms."

The woman's warmth soothed Annalise enough to unclench her fists. She returned the Allmother's smile.

The eerie silence in the throne room following Frigga's welcome blaringly emphasized Odin's lack of response. The Allmother patiently glared at her stubborn husband and squeezed his hand. "Have you nothing to say to our daughter-in-law?"

Odin was wise, Annalise could gather that much from his profound stare. But he was also a father, and family caused tempers to heat. His single eye flicked over Annalise as he took in her appearance. The Midgardian queen stood tall, aided by black suede over the knee boots.

"Welcome to Asgard, Annalise."

Noting his distinct lack of title use, Annalise fought the urge to correct him. When he didn't continue, she shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Thank you, Your Majesty. And, thank you for receiving me on such short notice."

Apparently, that was the right thing to say, because Odin's face grew infinitesimally less grave. To Odin's left sat Thor, whose shoulders slumped in relief.

"Loki has always been troubled." The Allfather's speech was metered and intentional. "I am sorry that you've become involved in his schemes. You do not deserve this chaos."

Prickling, Annalise took three steps forward. Her need to defend her husband and king overpowered common sense. Her movement sparked the einherjar flanking the thrones into action, prompting them to lurch forward to defend their rulers. The clink of metal armor echoed until Odin held up a hand, "Enough. She is not a threat." The warriors stepped back into place, once more watching over the royal family.

She'd be a threat if she wanted to be, Annalise growled to herself. Odin continued speaking, which distracted her from her being perceived as insignificant. "My youngest son has always had darker tendencies. But, he wasn't always so… volatile. He used to have an innocence about him," Odin reflected.

"That part of him still exists. Bits of it, at least," Anna offered.

Frigga smiled sadly while the Allfather stared contemplatively at the young queen.

"I believe it. There is good in him," he agreed.

Annalise brightened, "So, you'll help us? You'll help him?"

Odin sighed and his face grew steely. "I cannot."

Disappointment shadowed Frigga's face, her grief evident as Odin spoke. "If I aid him now, I will only reward his misbehavior. It would ruin his conscience, or what little remains of it. As much as it pains me, he will have to learn from his mistakes this time." Though his words carried a tone of finality, Odin's regret was palpable. He did love his son. "How did he fall so far?" he murmured.

Frigga's empathetic expression turned cool and Thor flinched at Odin's density.

Annalise gasped in surprise. Her vision went red while her nails bit into her palm as she clenched her fists. How could he sound so remorseful yet refuse to help Loki? He was the root of Loki's problems. "You say that like you don't know!" she sputtered. "You raised him to be a king, and then you took that away. You were supposed to give him a family, a sense of security and worth, but you lied to him and it broke him. He had to take Earth by force, he had to kidnap _me_ to get what he needed."

"We will untether you from Loki at the first chance—," started Odin.

"No. I don't want to be _untethered_. I want you to defend my husband. I want you to be there for your son and support him the way he deserves. He may not have gone about taking over Midgard the right way… But he _is_ a good ruler—mostly—and order is restoring under him. Earth was a shitshow when he got there. Political stability was iffy at best. Famine, poverty and lack of clean water plagued millions. Using his Seidr, he's provided aid to a slew of countries, alleviating the suffering of many people—."

Frigga raised a hand, "A _shitshow_?".

Annalise felt heat creep up her neck. She swore she was refined, maybe just not in that particular moment. "Er, a mess. Earth was a mess."

"I see. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Your Majesty." Clasping her hands in front of her, she cleared her throat, "As I was saying, he is a decent ruler. But, without you, he has no future."

Odin gazed down at her proudly, skeptical of Annalise's intentions. "And if I were to give him this future, where will you be?"

"If he continues to reign, I'll be at his side. If… he's had enough of being king," she sighed hopefully, "and steps down once Thanos is no longer a threat, I will stay with him, too. I love him," she said, raising her chin.

Odin's white eyebrows rose and he huffed dubiously. Frigga beamed, the corners of her warm eyes crinkling.

With a bang, the fifteen foot paneled doors burst open and into the throne room scurried Shannon with a wailing Astrid. The poor woman's cheeks glowed when her heels echoed on the marble floor as she trotted to her Queen's side. Panting, she held out the baby and a blanket to Annalise, "My Queen—," her gaze flicked to Frigga, "My Queens… I-Your Majesties—I apologize for interrupting," she babbled.

Annalise gave Shannon a reassuring smile and took her child, tossing the knitted baby blanket of her shoulder and nodding dismissively. Shannon made to leave before realizing her queen was still standing. Grabbing the back of a nearby chair, she clumsily dragged the furniture to Annalise. Breathing a sigh of satisfaction, the flustered woman retreated.

Though Astrid quieted in her mother's arms, she continued to whimper and fuss. With a sigh, Annalise pulled the blanket so it draped over her shoulder, chest and the baby. Once covered, she began unbuttoning the center of her blouse. "What I mean to say," Annalise plucked at the front closure of her nursing bra, "is that Loki needs your help. He deserves your help." Perching on the chair, Annalise rocked Astrid onto her side and tucked her under the blanket.

As he realized what Annalise was doing in his presence, Odin began to bluster. Thor turned an endearing shade of pink. Astrid latched on with a stuttered hiccup and immediately calmed while her mother peered down at her, crooning to the baby in the process. "Because Daddy is… Well, maybe not one of the good guys. But he's… neutral." Astrid hummed and gurgled from beneath the blanket and Annalise returned her gaze to Asgard's royal family. "Will you help him?"

Odin opened his mouth to speak, shaking his head, but Thor beat him to it.

"Father, please. This is Loki, your _son_. If you don't come to his aid, he will die."

Quirking a brow at his oldest, Odin challenged Thor's right to speak. "You will not interrupt me again. Loki will not conquer earth only to be rewarded with a wife and child. This matter—."

"This is a family matter, Odin," Frigga's voice cut through the tension in the throne room. "It is not your place to make this decision alone."

Odin's eye blazed, his fingers squeezing around Grungir as he stared at his wife. The Allmother held up her hand again, shaking her head.

Staring at Frigga with hope bubbling in her chest, Annalise held her breath.

Frigga rested her hand on Odin's shoulder. "There are many circumstances that must be considered before making a final decision."

Odin blinked, his eye searching his wife's face as he processed. "I will not change my mind—."

Frigga narrowed her eyes at him. "That's enough discussion for tonight. Annalise, you must be exhausted from your travels. We shall all retire for the evening and continue this discussion tomorrow."

Annalise didn't want to wait until tomorrow. Loki didn't _have_ until tomorrow. What if Thanos was there now? But, the Asgardian queen's voice held an air of certitude and the younger queen kept her mouth shut. Now that the Allmother mentioned it, Annalise sagged from fatigue. She hadn't realized the toll leaving Earth had taken on her body, not to mention being pregnant.

Astrid finished feeding and Annalise did her best to clean the baby up. Moving her to one arm, she tried to push from her chair and faltered in her weariness. Immediately an einherjar and a Chitauri were at her side, gently hoisting her up from the chair.

Cheeks rosy, Annalise cleared her throat, "Thank you."

Annalise lost track of their responses as Thor, Odin and Frigga rose, the two men branching off to speak with an advisor. Frigga, however, trained her eyes on Annalise and strode forward. The younger queen shifted her weight as her guards stepped back to allow the queens a modicum of privacy.

The Allmother's smile was hesitant as she approached Annalise. "May I meet my granddaughter?"

"Oh, of course! I forgot—there's just so much going on," Annalise blathered while scrubbing at her face with her free hand.

The corner of Frigga's mouth turned up in a smile. "It's quite alright, dear. Her name is Astrid?"

Annalise nodded and handed over the babbling baby. With practiced hands, Frigga accepted her. The child glommed on to the emerald pendant hanging around the Allmother's neck, while Frigga stroked the little girl's cheek with a finger.

" _Strength._ What a fitting moniker," she cooed. Astrid clapped her hand to her mouth, then flung her palm open to blow a sloppy kiss at her grandmother. Frigga let out a musical peal of laughter, completely smitten with the baby.

Her joy relaxed Annalise. Presenting your offspring to your mother-in-law, who also happens to be Queen of Asgard, is slightly daunting. Eyes twinkling with mirth, Frigga motioned at Anna's middle. "And the other? How far along are you?"

Though Astrid was evidence enough that she and Loki had had sex, the existence of yet another fetus amplified the fact that they'd been together. That her in-laws knew she and their son had been… intimate wasn't quite the level of familiarity Annalise desired yet. Ignoring her own blush, Annalise pushed her hair from her face and cupped her little belly. "Sixteen weeks, Your Majesty."

Ages of schooled expressions couldn't keep the grin from Frigga's face. "How exciting."

Children sixteen months apart were more excitement than Annalise had wished for, but she nodded. She and Loki would make due. With the help of many.

Astrid yawned and squirmed in Frigga's grasp, making grabby-hands at her mother. Frigga transferred the baby back to Annalise with a kind smile. "You should rest. Tomorrow will be another long day."

Annalise's heart sank as the woman turned to leave. She didn't realize she'd been hoping for reassurance from Frigga.

"Wait," she blurted.

Face poised with a warm expression, Frigga turned and gave her attention to Annalise. The younger woman stuttered, desperate for encouragement.

"I-You're Loki's last chance. If you don't help him, he'll die. Please don't let him die," she whispered.

Frigga's face grew solemn, her lips no longer curved upwards. Without hesitation, she embraced Annalise, wrapping an arm around her and Astrid. "It is not yet time for my son to die. We are not ready to let him go," she murmured against Annalise's ear. Pressing a kiss to the little queen's cheek, Frigga cupped Annalise's face. "We'll speak more in the morning, my dear. I look forward to seeing the two of you at breakfast," she said. Both women dabbed at their eyes, dashing away unshed tears.

Annalise could breathe again. Loki _did_ have a chance. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"You're welcome, daughter."


End file.
